The Wedding
by charley07
Summary: Caroline and Klaus have been happily together for ten years when she finally admits her wish to be married. He isn't exactly thrilled by the idea but agrees because he likes to make her happy. Returning to Mystic Falls for the festivities isn't easy and plenty of speed bumps occur along the way but in the end, Klaus will do just about anything to give her the perfect wedding. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm the last person who should be starting a new story but this idea came to me and I couldn't ignore it so I just started writing. I have most of it mapped out in my head and was going to make it a oneshot but it would've been really fucking long so I broke it up into chapters. Not sure quite how long it'll be but I hope to have it finished before TVD returns on April 18. This is mostly AU (though I'd love for it to end up happening) and I'm nicer about Elena in the story than I feel for her on the show itself but whatever. As always, I love favorites and follows but reviews are super awesome, too, and they motivate me more than anything. I love hearing any and all feedback, so long as it's constructive. No one wants to read anything unpleasant. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"I want a wedding."

Klaus looked over his shoulder at Caroline standing at the threshold of his studio, hands on her hips, left foot tapping away.

"A wedding?" he repeated. "Why on earth would you want something so trivial?"

She stomped into the room. "A wedding isn't trivial, Klaus. It shows commitment between a man and woman who love each other. And I want one before my mom is too old to walk me down the aisle."

Klaus set his paintbrush aside and turned to face her. "Marriage for us doesn't mean anything, love. We're dead."

"It means something to me," she murmured, losing the edge to her voice. "I want to call you my husband, Klaus, not my 'mate.' That makes me feel like something on Animal Planet. I want to see a ring on your finger that makes you mine forever and no one else's."

Klaus had a hard time denying her anything when she spoke like that. He took her into his arms. "I'm already yours forever."

"But I want photographic proof of that," she whined softly. "A wedding won't kill you; Mikeal did that over a thousand years ago."

"There's that wit I love," he smirked. "All right, you want a wedding? Fine, let's get married. But I intend on doing this the proper way so you, sweetheart, should be prepared for a proposal you'll not soon forget."

Caroline beamed and suddenly, agreeing to this insanity was worth it to him.

"Okay," she said happily. "I'll let you get back to your painting now." She pressed the softest of kisses to his stubbly cheek and backed away to leave the studio. "Hey, Klaus?"

"Yes?" he asked, looking back at her once more.

"Thank you," she grinned.

"I'd do anything for you, Caroline," he reminded her, going back to his painting.

She made a face at his flattery as she left. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

After defeating Silas back in Mystic Falls at the end of her senior year of high school, Caroline had finally given in to her feelings for Klaus. During one particularly nasty battle, Klaus had sacrificed himself to save her and she knew in that moment, as panic settled in while he seemed to be dying, that she loved him. Luckily, in the eleventh hour, Bonnie snapped out of her daze and helped them, sending Silas back to eternal hell and keeping the gates to the Other Side closed forever. It had been hard, knowing people like Jeremy and even Kol could never come back, but it was for the best.

Elena's humanity had been another story; she kept the flip switched for a year and it was like living with Katherine full-time. Damon had even come to Klaus once to request he compel her to turn it back on but Klaus had rejected that, knowing it was best to let Elena do it on her own. Klaus also knew Caroline was anti-compulsion over such things and doing it would upset her. In the end, it had been Caroline herself that convinced Elena to let her humanity back on. She'd taken her to the Gilbert tomb and forced her to mourn for Jeremy. For two days, the two girls sat there, Caroline using every bit of strength she had not to cave and let a stubborn Elena go, before she woke up the third morning at dawn to Elena sobbing, running her fingers over Jeremy's name, her humanity back with full force. They stayed for another day as Elena got it all out of her system, and then Caroline called Damon to bring her friend home to the Salvatore boarding house. With the sire bond broken and her humanity back, Caroline had hoped Elena would fall into Stefan's arms but alas, it was Damon she loved and they'd been together ever since, still living in Mystic Falls, pretending to age as long as they could; it was getting harder to look 28 when you were eternally 18. Stefan had eventually rekindled his romance with Rebekah so Caroline was just glad he was happy.

For seven years after that, Caroline had traveled the world with Klaus, letting him show her everything she'd ever wanted to see and more. Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Sydney, Hong Kong, Moscow, Florence, São Paulo. It had been incredible and being with him was even better, but eventually, she'd tired of the globe-trotting lifestyle and had convinced him to settle down in London. Ironically, it was where Rebekah and Stefan had made their life together, as well, so the four of them lived in the massive Mikaelson manor just outside the city limits.

"Hey, Care," Stefan greeted his best friend when she found him in the kitchen.

"Hi," she smiled.

He eyed her. "You look like you just won the lottery. What's up?"

"Klaus agreed to marry me," she told him gleefully.

"What?" Stefan scoffed. "Klaus is going to marry you?"

"Don't sound so surprised," she muttered. "We've been together for ten years."

"I'm not surprised that he's marrying _you_," he clarified. "I'm surprised he's marrying _anyone_. Marriage doesn't seem like his thing."

"It isn't," she denied, "but it's mine so he'll be nice and do it. I know it will mean a lot more to me than it does to him and that's okay."

Klaus sat on his stool, listening to their conversation carefully in the next room. Stefan was right; in his thousand-plus years, he'd never once considered the possibility of marriage. As the Original hybrid, there was no point. And as much as he loved Caroline, the idea of marrying her had never crossed his mind either but as she said, she wanted it and his goal in life was to give that perfect angel whatever she wanted. Besides, it would give Rebekah something to do, too.

"Your brother and Caroline are getting married," Stefan told Rebekah as she joined them from the gardens.

"No!" Rebekah cried in shock. "Nik proposed?"

"Well, not yet," Caroline denied, "but he said he's going to because I told him I want to be married. You guys have been married for four years. Why shouldn't we?"

"Because Stefan is Stefan and Nik is not," Rebekah replied. "Stefan is the marrying type; a romantic, if you will. While I know my brother would take a white oak stake through the heart only for you, I also know he is not much for marriage."

"How little you two think of me," Klaus spoke up as he finally emerged from his studio for the day. "I will give Caroline a wedding the blows yours out of the water."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I don't want a competition, Klaus. I just want a wedding with the people I love in attendance." She stood in front of him. "And I want to get married in Mystic Falls, at your house there."

He frowned. "You're really pushing it now, love."

"Please?" she begged. "I grew up there and it's home. My mom is there. Elena and Bonnie and Matt are all there."

"Damon is there," Stefan added.

"Not a selling point," Caroline snapped.

"Elijah is in Paris," Rebekah reminded them. "And Katherine Pierce is not about to upend her life in favor of Mystic Falls to see you two get married."

"For all I care, Katerina can jump off the Eiffel Tower every day for the rest of her life," Klaus said. "But Rebekah, it will be your job to get our dear older brother to Virginia because it seems there's to be a wedding in a small town there."

Caroline clapped in excitement. "I have to call Bonnie and Elena." She hurried from the room and moments later, the sound of her and Klaus' bedroom door shutting was heard.

"I never thought I'd see the day you revolved your life around someone else," Rebekah muttered, pulling out her phone to check flights to Paris. "It's depressing."

"Oh, stop," Stefan chuckled. "You like Caroline. You just don't like knowing there's a girl your brother puts before you now."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'm not that petty."

"Yes, you are," Klaus replied as he opened the fridge for a blood bag; he hated cold blood but he was hungry and Caroline preferred their blood be donated so he obliged on occasion.

"I put you first," Stefan assured his wife. "I think going back to Mystic Falls will be nice for a little while."

"Ugh," Rebekah groaned. "I hate small towns."

"If it weren't for small towns, we never would've ended up together," Stefan reminded her. "Don't you want your brother to be happy?"

"Nik is happy," she scoffed. "This is Caroline we'd be doing all this for."

"Yes, the same Caroline who single-handedly made sure your own wedding was completely perfect," Klaus said pointedly. "You will do anything and everything she requests of you, sister, or I'll make sure you'd wish you had."

"I've just booked Stefan and I seats to Paris in the morning," Rebekah told him, showing the confirmation on her phone screen. "When would you like us in Mystic Falls, Caroline?!" she yelled through the house.

Klaus winced slightly. "She'd hear you if you whispered."

Rebekah smirked. "I know."

Caroline returned then. "Well, we're going tomorrow so as soon as possible."

"I have to plan my proposal for Mystic Falls?" Klaus realized. "London is much more equipped for such things."

Caroline's hand went to her hip. "Klaus, you can't ask me until you speak to my mom."

"Well, things just got interesting," Rebekah declared smugly. "Good luck convincing Sheriff Forbes she should let you marry her daughter, Nik." She took Stefan's hand. "Come, let's pack. I do love Paris in the springtime." They headed for the stairs.

Caroline calmly went to sit at the small table in the breakfast nook and began making flight reservations from her iPad.

"You expect me to ask your mother for her blessing to marry you?" Klaus asked, leaning against the counter to stare at her. "Sweetheart, in case you've forgotten over the last decade, she hates me."

"She doesn't _hate_ you," she denied softly. "She just doesn't know you. Not the you that I know."

"You're the only person who knows that side of me," he replied quietly.

"So introduce him to my mom," she suggested. "She knows that you love me and you take excellent care of me so those are points in your favor. Plus, once I tell her it's what I want, she'll give in."

"You know, when I finally admitted to myself that I would do absolutely anything for you, I never realized that meant asking your mother for your hand in marriage," he muttered.

Caroline sighed and set the electronic device aside to eye him. "I know I'm asking you for a lot but it really does mean a great deal to me and I really appreciate your willingness to do it."

He smirked. "Well, I have heard rumors of what the wedding night entails so it probably won't be too horrible."

"Probably not," she winked, going back to her task. "We should start planning, you know. I would like for Elena, Bonnie, and Rebekah to stand with me. I'm sure you'll want Elijah and Stefan and I'd also like to request Matt be up there, as well."

"And what of the elder Salvatore?" he asked.

"Damon will be lucky to be Elena's plus-one," she grumbled. "I'd prefer to keep him away but he'd show up regardless so I'll throw a bone."

"I'd still like to kill him for what he did to you," he told her. After five years together, Caroline had divulged the full extent of her past with Damon; Klaus hadn't handled it well but she'd talked him out of killing him.

"I know," was all she said back. "But despite how much we hate him, he's good for Elena so I'll have you spare his life."

Klaus straightened up. "Well, if I'm being forced to return to Mystic Falls, I'd at least like to make sure the ring is taken care of here in London so I'm going to go do that. Anything you need between now and when we leave, tell Rebekah." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and disappeared through the expansive house.

* * *

Bonnie slid into the booth and stared at Elena and Matt across the table later that night. "Is she serious?"

"I think so," Elena confirmed. "You heard her on the phone; Caroline has never been so excited about something in her life."

Matt sighed. "But Klaus? Part of me always just thought this would be a phase."

"Not me," Elena denied. "I think I've always known, even before they were actually together, that they would be. He opened her eyes to a part of herself that never would've manifested without him."

Bonnie nodded. "I guess that's true. Ugh, a bridesmaid in Klaus' wedding. Can't say I saw that one coming."

Matt laughed. "At least you get to stand on her side; I'm stuck on his."

"It'll be beautiful, Elena said wistfully. "He'll give her everything she wants for this. And just think, she said she wants him to ask her mom's permission and you know Liz will give him a hard time. Part of her always rooted for Tyler."

"Who didn't?" Bonnie scoffed. She looked at Matt. "Have you heard from him at all?"

"No," he shook his head. Not since he left ten years ago and gave me his house. For all I know, he's dead."

"Well, if he is, it wasn't Klaus," Elena spoke up. "He gave that up when Caroline admitted her feelings for him. I like to believe he's still alive somewhere."

"I'm sure he is," Bonnie nodded. "It would've gotten to Klaus if he'd died and Caroline would've told us."

"Think she'd try to invite him?" Matt joked.

"Oh, sure," Bonnie deadpanned. "I'm sure Tyler would love to attend the wedding of his ex-girlfriend to the man who single-handedly ruined his life."

"It's been ten years," Elena stressed. "If I can mostly, sort of forgive Klaus for everything—seeing as I went through a very dark period of my own—maybe Ty can, too."

Matt shook his head. "I doubt it."

"Besides, Klaus isn't going to let Caroline invite Tyler," Bonnie said. "Not a chance in hell."

* * *

"Are you excited about going home?" Klaus asked Caroline the next morning as they walked through Heathrow.

"I'm excited to see everyone," she confirmed, wrapping her arm through his. "I miss my mom a lot."

"Ahh, yes, Sheriff Forbes," he sighed. "How exactly would you like me to ask her for your hand in marriage?"

She shrugged. "That's up to you. Until there's a diamond on my finger—as you promised—it's all up to you, buddy. Be nice to her. She knows how in love with you I am so she's going to want to say yes. Just don't give her a reason to say no."

"Hypothetically, if she did say no, would you still want this?" he asked as they arrived at their gate.

Caroline frowned in thought for a moment before smiling at him. "Yes. But I feel better if you ask."

"Is she expecting me to ask?" Klaus wondered.

"Well, I mentioned we were coming to town and there were things to discuss," she explained. "I think she has an idea of what might happen but she didn't mention it. She asks all the time if we're ever going to get married."

He nodded. "And when she asks, does it sound like she'd be okay with it?"

"You're nervous," she realized with a laugh. "Aw, Klaus, that's so cute. You're scared of my mom."

"I don't get nervous," he denied, knowing his voice betrayed him. He sighed. "But I do want to do right by you, love, so yes, I'm anxious about it. It's important to you that your mother likes me so I will do whatever necessary for her to accept my offer."

"She likes Italian food," she told him. "Order from the fancy Italian restaurant in Richmond and get a nice red wine."

He wrapped an arm around her. "I thought you said I was on my own for this."

"Well, I want her to say yes," she teased, snuggling into him. "So, what's my ring like?"

"Nice try," he smirked. "You know I won't tell you that."

"Please?" she begged, running a hand gently up and down his thigh.

He caught her hand to stop it. "Not fair, love. You said you wanted all this so we have to compromise on how things are to be done."

"Fine," she grumbled. "Do you think Rebekah and Stefan will convince Elijah to come?"

"It's not Elijah I'm worried about," Klaus replied. "It's Katerina that won't want to be there. She hates me and isn't very fond of you. Elena is a thorn in her side and being around both Salvatore brothers together irritates her because they know exactly how she operates. But," he went on, "they'll be there. Rebekah won't leave Paris without Elijah in tow and he won't come without his mate."

Before long, they were allowed to board their plane and once they were settled into their first class seats, Caroline kicked off her flats and nestled into his side again to sleep during the flight. It was the most comforting place on the planet, to be in his arms, and she often still mentally kicked herself for pushing him away as long as she did when he first pursued her in Mystic Falls. He'd deserved to be spurned, of course, but in their ten years together, he'd taught her more about herself than she ever could've learned on her own. Klaus showed her the perks of being a vampire and how to drink from fresh veins without killing anyone. Compulsion was still a sore subject for her—thanks to Damon—but he still tried to explain that it could be done successfully without hurting those being compelled.

The best part of being with him, however, was how he made her feel every single day. It was practically a fairytale. _"Yeah, you two are a regular _Beauty and the Beast_,"_ Matt always joked but Caroline really did see a side to Klaus that no one else did. He let his guard down with her and showed the parts of him that were still human. He was attentive and passionate and funny. He knew her better than she knew herself and she liked to think she knew him like that, too. Marriage was something she'd wanted for a long time, since even before Rebekah and Stefan had married, but she'd waited a long enough time so he would be entirely wrapped around her finger before she brought it up. And now that she had, she was thrilled Klaus had agreed to go along with it. She knew he was doing it to appease her but she promised herself that she would spend the rest of eternity making it worthwhile to him.

Eventually, Caroline fell asleep and Klaus pulled out his sketch pad. He didn't draw much in public but their seats were a safe distance from others and there was something about the way she looked while she dreamt- presumably of him- that he felt the need to put pencil to paper. They'd been together ten years and would be together for the rest of time now but he still found himself somewhat in awe that she loved him as he loved her. It was all-consuming, the way he felt, and though a bit strange to accept, there was nothing more natural in the world than loving her. She was the good to his bad, the light to his dark. For Caroline, he wanted to be better. Yes, he was the Original hybrid, driven by animalistic urges, but she'd taught him restraint and compassion in ways he'd never thought possible. To Klaus, Caroline was the most precious thing on the planet and he would do everything in his infinite power to keep her safe and to keep her his for all time.

"Shh! Marie, they'll hear you," the older woman sitting in front of them whispered to her red headed companion, breaking his train of thought. "He isn't sleeping."

"Oh, stop it, Victoria," the redhead replied quietly. "I only said that they're precious. Would that be so horrible for him to overhear?"

"Maybe," Victoria replied. "It isn't everyday a young man and woman board a plane to have two old biddies tell them about precious they are."

"Well, it's sweet," Marie shot back. "They way he lets her sleep against him while he works. Besides, I'm whispering so how on earth would they hear me?"

Klaus smiled slightly to himself but said nothing. In over a thousand years, he was fairly certain nothing he'd ever done could have been referred to as 'precious' but that was simply the affect Caroline had on him.

Caroline chuckled softly. "I hear them, too."

He looked down at her. "I thought you were sleeping?"

"I was," she yawned, "but it's hard to do when I hear people say how precious I am."

"How precious _we_ are," he corrected.

"Duh," she scoffed. "There can't be a me without you."

In his mind, no truer words had ever been spoken, only he considered the statement the opposite way: without her, he was nothing.

Elena paced back and forth at baggage claim in the Richmond airport, waiting for Klaus and Caroline to arrive. Damon had offered to ride along to pick them up but Elena rejected him, knowing he would not exactly be a sight for sore eyes to the two of them.

"Elena!"

The brunette vampire looked up to see Caroline hurrying towards her, weaving in and out of people, before the blonde was in front of her. Elena threw her arms around her friend and hugged her tightly.

"It's been too long, Care," Elena sighed.

"A year," Caroline said. "You guys really should come to London more often." She paused. "Well, you should. Damon can rot in the tomb under the old church for all I care."

Elena bumped her with her hip. "Stop it. He's different now."

"Mm-hmm," Caroline rolled her eyes as Klaus caught up to the girls. "Took you long enough."

"As soon as we exited the plane, you took off," he said. "I was not going to run through the airport like a lunatic."

"Oh, I'm a lunatic?" Caroline mused as Elena led them to their bags.

Klaus wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close to him. "Yes, but you're my lunatic so it's acceptable."

She kissed him softly before turning back to her friend. "Thanks for coming to get us, Elena. My mom would've but there was an emergency at the hospital."

"Yeah, Meredith had an uncooperative patient," Elena explained. "She told me about him this morning at breakfast but I guess it hasn't gotten any better. Apparently he's a prisoner from Richmond so he's under strict watch but he's causing a lot of trouble, screaming and yelling all the time." She softened her tone. Meredith asked Damon to come in tomorrow to compel him to shut up."

Caroline clenched her jaw but said nothing about it. Elena had known back when it was happening about Damon and Caroline but not exactly the full extent. And even if she did, Caroline was sure he would find a way to convince Elena to forgive him so it wasn't worth bringing it up anymore.

Instinctively, Klaus took her hand in his as they retrieved their bags. She smiled at him, knowing why he'd done it.

"So, lunch at the Grill with Matt and Bonnie, Care?" Elena offered moments later as they walked out to her SUV. "I'd invite you, Klaus, but they were hoping it could be the four of us, like old times."

"And I'm certain the Bennett witch would prefer not to see me," he added. "It's quite all right. I'll make sure things are suitable at home. We've not stayed here in nine years."

"Perfect," Elena nodded. "I'll drop you off there. It's still in perfect condition. I check on it every once in a while and nothing is out of place."

"Well, I pay a small crew to maintain it," he told her. He knew his next statement would please Caroline. "But I appreciate that you check on it; you don't have to do that."

In the front seat, Caroline beamed but said nothing.

Klaus' phone rang then, flashing his brother's number.

"Hello, Elijah," Klaus greeted him.

"We're on our way to De Gaulle now," Elijah reported. "Katerina put up a bit of a fight but she was no match for the three of us so we should arrive sometime this evening. We expect to stay at the house there with you."

"Of course," Klaus agreed. "Weddings are about family, after all, and you and Katerina are family so why wouldn't you stay with us?"

"No!" Caroline whined quietly. "I don't want her to live with us while we're here."

Elena patted her friend's hand. "I'm sorry. You're welcome to stay at the boarding house."

"He's only letting them because he thinks he's compromised too much so far so even though he hates her way more than I do, he thinks it will be funny for us to live together," Caroline grumbled, turning to face him. "What he doesn't know is my next request and he isn't going to like it."

Klaus stared at her but continued speaking to Elijah. "I'll send someone along to pick you up when your flight lands. Just make sure to have the information forwarded along."

"All right," Elijah agreed, chuckling as he watched Katherine stomp along sullenly after Rebekah and Stefan. "See you soon, Niklaus."

"So, Klaus, how are you planning to ask Sheriff Forbes?" Elena asked, breaking the tension after he ended the call.

"I'm still thinking about it," he answered. "Probably with Chinese food and a white wine."

"Liar!" Caroline giggled. "He's going to order from Bella Notte and get a lovely red wine because that's what she likes."

Elena smirked at the playful banter between them. It was still weird, seeing Caroline so happy with someone they'd all once considered the worst kind of monster, but over the years, he'd proven himself worthy of the blonde perfectionist. And if she could believe in Damon, she could try to believe in Klaus.

When they reached Mystic Falls, Elena drove to the Mikaelson house and parked out front so they could unload.

"God, I forgot how beautiful this place is," Caroline breathed as they walked inside. "And now it's partially mine!"

Elena laughed as she looked around. For nine years, she'd been checking on the mansion once a month but now it was going to be lived in once again and wouldn't feel so big and empty all the time.

"Let me just change and we'll go," Caroline told Elena as she and Klaus made their way upstairs to his—now their—room.

"Are you going to talk to my mom tonight?" she asked, shimmying out of her jeans.

He watched her with a smirk on his lips. "I might. What are your plans after lunch?"

"Not sure," she shrugged. "There isn't much I can do until my mom gives her blessing so maybe I'll see a movie or get a mani/pedi."

"You threatened me in the car with another request," he suddenly remembered. "What is it?"

Caroline pulled a green sundress on and smiled angelically at him. "Well, I think it might be nice if we didn't have sex again until we're married."

A dropping pin could've been heard once her words settled in.

"You jest," he accused her.

"I don't," she denied. "I want to wait now."

Klaus groaned. "You're killing me with all this traditional nonsense, Caroline."

"Think of it like a game," she suggested. "It's a challenge for you."

"A challenge, eh?" he mused, taking her into his arms. He leaned in so his breath was hot on her ear; he knew it drove her wild when he whispered to her like that. "All right, then. Game on."


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter two. I'm really into writing this story but I'd like to have it finished by the time the show comes back (though I probably won't) so it'll time jump every once in a while. It doesn't in this chapter but eventually. Also, I had a request to see when Klaus sacrificed himself for her with Silas and that seemed reasonable so that's a pretty good chunk here, as well. It's probably my favorite part of the chapter, though I also like Klaus' speech to Liz at the end. As always, I so appreciate your favorites/follows/reviews and would like nothing more than for those to continue so I know how you're feeling about this one. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"Caroline Forbes, you haven't changed at all!"

Caroline froze as she walked into the Grill with Elena before turning to see Kelly Donovan, Matt's mother, seated at the bar with her boyfriend-of-the-week.

"Hi, Mrs. Donovan," Caroline greeted her politely. "It's nice to see you again."

"No, really, you haven't changed at all," Kelly went on. "Neither have you, Elena. God, what is your secret? Aging sucks." She stood up and placed her hands on either side of Caroline's face, allowing the alcohol on her breath to overwhelm the blonde vampire. "You don't look a day over 17."

"Okay, Mom, I think that's enough for you now," Matt spoke up as he approached them. "Luke, why don't you take her home?"

The boyfriend grunted in reply and wrapped his arm around Kelly's waist, leading her out to the sidewalk.

"Some things never change," Matt grumbled as the three of them slid into the booth Bonnie had procured.

"Hey, Caroline!" Bonnie said excitedly, throwing her arms around her friend.

"Hi!" Caroline squealed. "Thank you for greeting me. Matt just came in and shoved his mom away and then sat down without acknowledging me at all."

He made a face and stood up so they could properly hug, as they were seated on opposite sides of the table. "Hi, Care."

"Hi, Matt," she whispered, hugging him tightly. They sat back down. "God, I miss you guys."

"You could always come back and live here," Bonnie offered.

Caroline shook her head. "Not really. You saw how Kelly reacted to the fact that I haven't aged; and she's drunk! Someone sober would be much more confused. Elena and Damon won't be around much longer."

"She's right," Elena sighed. "We've been talking about where we'll go after the summer ends."

Matt frowned. "So you'll both be gone after this wedding?"

"Have to," Elena shrugged. "Damon and I can't look this young forever and people will notice. We'll come back again someday, maybe when you two are like, 80 and everyone else has forgotten about us." She grinned teasingly. "Or you could just let us turn you and you could come with."

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You know I can't do that. Matt's welcome to, if he so chooses."

"I thought about it when we were in high school," he admitted. "I figured this would happen someday and I didn't want to be alone but I realized I was the human anchor you all needed."

Caroline placed a hand over his. "You still are. I just wish there was a way to keep you both around forever."

Bonnie smiled before getting serious once more. "All right, Caroline, tell us all about your decision to marry Klaus."

"Wow, don't sound so thrilled for me," Caroline laughed humorlessly.

"I'm still getting used to the idea," Bonnie told her. "I haven't been around the two of you together as much as Elena has. It's still a little weird."

"Why?" Caroline asked. "You saw what he did for me, Bonnie. How can you still not trust him?"

Bonnie sat back. "I wasn't really all 'there' when he sacrificed himself for you; I only got there in time to help him."

"Well, he saved my life," Caroline murmured, "and he almost died to do it and I couldn't lose him." She recoiled, thinking back to it.

* * *

_Caroline watched in horror as Silas descended upon her, white oak stake in hand._

_"I can see why he likes you so much," the demon said, toying with her blonde hair as he walked around her slowly. "You're a beautiful girl, Caroline Forbes, so full of life. It will be a great pleasure to end you while he watches."_

_"Why are you doing this to him?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "Klaus has never done anything to you. He gave you the stupid cure."_

_Silas chuckled darkly. "Why is it you care so much, Caroline? I thought you and your friends all hated Niklaus?"_

_"They do," she whispered. "I don't anymore. We're friends."_

_"Friends?" Silas repeated, tracing the point of the stake across her chest. "Just friends, Caroline? Then maybe killing you won't hurt him." He frowned. "I suppose we'll find out." He lifted the stake to drive it into her heart._

_"No!"_

_Just as the stake was about to hit her chest, Klaus appeared in front of her and took the stake to his own chest. Shock filled his eyes as his knees gave out and he fell to the ground._

_"No, Klaus, you'll be okay!" Caroline said frantically, falling down beside him. She looked up for Silas but he'd disappeared. "Klaus, stay with me. I'll get the stake out."_

_His head shook just slightly. "You can't, love. He's done some sort of spell on it; it's lodged in there and I can feel it moving towards my heart."_

_"You can't die," she breathed, placing her hands on his face._

_"It was for a worthy cause," he assured her as his breathing slowed. "Now you know that I'd do anything for you."_

_"You can't die!" she cried again, letting the tears fall. "You're the only one who's really been there for me the last two months. With everything else falling apart, you've kept me up. Don't let this happen. Fight it. Please."_

_He strained to reach up and wipe her tears away. "I know that you already know it but you need to hear me say that I love you, Caroline. You brought light back into my life when I thought I'd succumbed to an eternity of darkness and I could never thank you enough." His eyes closed and his hand fell._

_"No!" she yelled angrily, looking at the destruction around her. "Klaus, stay with me, focus on my voice." She shook him. "Klaus! Don't do this. I love you, Klaus, so you have to wake up. Why did you do that, you idiot? You should've let me die. We can't beat him without you." She ran a hand down his cheek. "Wake up, Klaus, please," she whispered. "Please, wake up."_

_"Caroline."_

_She looked up to see Bonnie standing over her. "Bonnie?"_

_"I can fix this," Bonnie declared, pushing Caroline out of the way. She began chanting in Latin over Klaus' body._

_"Save him, Bonnie," Caroline pleaded._

_Seconds later, this witch finished chanting. "Take him home. If it worked, he should wake up soon."_

_"If? Caroline exclaimed. "If it didn't, he's just dead?"_

_"Yes," Bonnie nodded. "Take him home, Caroline." She hurried off to find—and destroy—Silas._

_Caroline lifted Klaus' seemingly lifeless body and sped away from the fighting. She reached his mansion and raced inside to settle him onto a couch in the parlor. She flashed to the kitchen for a blood bag and brought it back quickly, knowing he'd need it when he woke up. She kneeled down beside him and held his hand._

_"Bonnie fixed this," she explained, rubbing circles over his palm. "You'll wake up and I'll tell you I love you and this will all be a thing of the past. You can't die, Klaus. You haven't taken me anywhere yet." She laughed softly as tears fell again. "Just open those dumb blue eyes and say something obnoxious, please."_

_"Nik?!"_

_Rebekah's voice filled the house a while later, waking Caroline from her fitful slumber on the floor._

_"Caroline, what happened?" Rebekah demanded when she found them._

_"Silas," Caroline murmured. "He was going to kill me with the white oak stake but Klaus jumped in front of me and Silas staked him instead. He said it was spelled and he felt it moving toward his heart."_

_"What?" Rebekah breathed. "What are you even doing here?"_

_"I love him, Rebekah," Caroline admitted almost inaudibly. "I," she swallowed, "I can't let him die."_

_Rebekah wanted to rip the baby vampire's head off but she could see it in Caroline's eyes—she really had finally admitted to herself that she was in love with Klaus._

_"You should stay," Rebekah offered. "Silas is dead, in case you were wondering. The Bennett witch decided it was time to step in and help out and all that Expression she'd been harvesting manifested and sent him back to hell, closing the door to the Other Side forever."_

_Caroline let out a sigh of relief. "That's good." She looked back to Klaus. "But it won't really matter if he doesn't wake up."_

_"He will," Rebekah believed. "He's too arrogant to die before hearing you tell him you love him. He's been waiting a long time for that."_

_"I hope," Caroline nodded._

_"I'll be in the kitchen," Rebekah told her quietly. "Elijah should be here soon."_

_For four days, Caroline stayed at his side. Stefan came by to check on her daily, as did her mom and Bonnie and Matt. Damon even stopped by once, Elena-less, to see how she was doing. Her answers became robotic and dull. Bonnie tried to assure her the spell took time but as the hours ticked by, Caroline started to lose hope._

_"It's Klaus," Stefan reasoned on the fourth night. "He's probably just milking this."_

_"I don't think so," Caroline shook her head. "Nothing has happened, Stefan. I think I'm really going to lose him before I ever even had him. Why was I such an idiot?"_

_"I'm sure Klaus can't be an easy guy to be in love with," Stefan replied. "He certainly doesn't make it easy to even like him at all so love? You're brave, Care."_

_"I just want him to wake up," Caroline yawned._

_"Have you slept?" he asked._

_"On and off," she shrugged. "I've tried to stay awake."_

_"Sleep," he commanded, nodding at the couch opposite the one Klaus was on. "I'll stay and wake you if anything happens."_

_Knowing it would be a waste of time to argue, Caroline complied and settled onto the suede couch. "Thanks, Stef."_

_"Sure," he nodded, placing a blanket over her. He kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, Care."_

_Stefan sat in the armchair and looked around the room. He'd been there many times but it had never been so peaceful. And yet, he would've taken the chaos he was used to if it meant Klaus woke up and Caroline was happy. She was his best friend and even though the hybrid wasn't his favorite guy and he'd caused more destruction than Stefan knew what to do with, if Caroline loved Klaus, he could accept that._

_An hour later, Stefan was reading a magazine when Klaus gasped and woke up._

_"Welcome back to the land of the living," Stefan chuckled._

_Klaus looked around to gather his bearings. "What happened? How am I alive? I took the white oak stake for Caroline." He looked to Stefan in the dark. "Where's Caroline?"_

_Stefan pointed to her still sleeping form on the couch. "She's sleeping right there." He cleared his throat. "She hasn't left."_

_"Why?" Klaus asked._

_"I should let her tell you," Stefan answered, standing up and walking to Caroline. "Hey, Care?"_

_She sat up immediately. "What? Did something happen?"_

_Stefan stepped aside so she could see Klaus. "Yeah."_

_With the blink of an eye she was over the coffee table and in Klaus' arms. "Oh, my God, I seriously hate you."_

_Klaus laughed as he held her tightly, watching Stefan leave to give them some privacy. "I'm just glad to hear you say anything to me, even if it's that you hate me."_

_But I don't really," she shook her head, pulling away to look at him. "That was so stupid, taking that stake for me."_

_"No, he shook his head. "I'd do it again every time, love. I don't know how I'm alive."_

_"Bonnie saved you," she told him. "She showed up and did some spell and four days later, you're awake."_

_"Stefan said you haven't left," he remembered. "Why?"_

_"I couldn't," she shook her head. "I had to make sure you were going to be okay."_

_"Why?" he asked again._

_"Because I love you!" she exclaimed. "God, why else?"_

_Klaus smirked. "Could you repeat that?"_

_Caroline rolled her eyes. "You're an ass."_

_"An ass that you love apparently," he nodded._

_"Oh, shut up," she muttered, leaning in to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around him again._

_"Wait, wait," he breathed, pulling away. "I don't want you doing this because you feel guilty."_

_"I don't," she denied. "I mean, I feel bad that you took that stake for me but I am in love with you, Klaus. I have been for a lot longer than I've wanted to admit. But watching you crumple in front of me, thinking you were dying, I panicked. I was so afraid I'd never get to tell you and I hated myself for denying it for so long."_

_"It's okay," he assured her. "I'm here and you're here and everything is all right."_

_"Yeah," she grinned, kissing him again._

_If it hadn't been for seeing Stefan first, Klaus would've been certain he had died and gone to heaven._

_"All right, lovebirds," Rebekah called out as she walked into the room with Elijah. "I gave you as much time as I could but I'd like to see for myself that my brother is alive and well."_

_Caroline moved to stand but Klaus held her close. "Nice try, sweetheart. She can see me just fine with you right here next to me."_

_"Good," she whispered. "I didn't really want to go."_

_"I'm never letting you go," he said quietly to only her._

_Caroline smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."_

* * *

"I know that you still don't like him," Caroline spoke up to Bonnie, breaking the silence, "but he's indebted to you for saving his life."

"So long as he takes care of you for eternity, I'll consider myself repaid," Bonnie replied.

"Thank you," Caroline nodded.

"Too much seriousness," Matt declared with a mischievous grin. "We need alcohol."

Klaus was pacing back and forth in the kitchen when Caroline arrived back home.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," she teased, setting her purse down.

"I spoke to your mother," he reported. "I asked if we could have dinner tonight."

"Yeah?" Caroline mused. "Are you prepared?"

"Working on it," he said. "I ordered the food and paid to have it delivered. I'll pick up a red wine on the way."

"Do you want me to go?" she offered.

"Only if you want to," he replied. "It would be comforting to me if you were there but I don't want your mother to feel pressured to say yes because of your presence."

"She won't," she shook her head. "She'll only say yes if she wants to so I'll go. I know you're nervous and sometimes your temper gets the best of you, so I'll keep the peace, should I need to."

He grinned in relief. "Excellent. I told her we'd be there at seven-thirty. She looks forward to seeing you."

Caroline quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You just assumed I'd go?"

"Well, I'd hoped," he shrugged playfully.

She checked her watch. "I think I'm going to take a nap. Want to join me?"

"Oh, no," he shook his head. "If we aren't having sex, we aren't sleeping in the same bed."

"What?" she cried. "I can't sleep without you next to me. I haven't in a decade."

"Shouldn't have made that decision then, he shrugged, though he enjoyed hearing that she couldn't sleep without him holding her. "I'd be willing to renegotiate if you are."

"Hell, no!" Caroline shook her head. "You'll cave way before I do."

"Would you care to make a wager on that?" he offered.

"Okay," she agreed. "What terms?"

"Winner chooses our honeymoon destination," he declared.

Caroline considered this. She knew he'd want somewhere cultured, like Rome or Paris, but she wanted a private beach.

"Deal," she nodded, offering a hand.

He took her hand and pulled her to him to kiss her softly. "I hope you like museums, love."

"Mm-mm," she shook her head, brushing her nose to his. "You'll be buying board shorts and sunglasses."

"A beach?" he chuckled. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't hate seeing you in a bathing suit."

"Bathing suit?" she repeated huskily, backing away to head to the stairs. "Oh, no, I'd go nude; no tan lines that way."

As she sauntered away, Klaus could already feel himself losing resolve.

Caroline woke up from her nap as the sun was beginning to set. She rolled over and sighed. She believed in her stance on no sex til the wedding night (she might be dead but she could attempt to keep some traditionalistic rituals intact) but not sleeping in the same bed? She and Klaus hadn't slept apart since the night he woke up from Silas' attack ten years ago.

"Nice nap?"

She looked to the threshold and saw him standing her, dressed for dinner in gray pants and a white Oxford with the sleeves rolled up.

"You look nice," she smiled. "My mom will like that you're dressed up a bit."

"If we're going to be on time, you should get ready," he advised. "It's almost seven now."

She shot out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?! I slept all afternoon."

"You're jet-lagged," he shrugged. "I was being nice, love. Besides, I just got back. I had to run and fetch the others at the airport."

"Katherine is here?" she groaned.

"Rise and shine, princess!" Katherine's voice called through the house.

"You know, without you sleeping in here with me, she might kill me in my sleep," Caroline warned as she went to the closet.

He chuckled and followed her into the walk-in. "She's still terrified of me, despite the pardon I gave her years ago, so she won't. And if she did try, I'd stop her before it went too far."

"How heroic of you," she rolled her eyes, looking through her dresses. She pulled two. "Which one?"

"You know I will always choose blue," he answered. "It best compliments your eyes."

"Then red it is," she decided, hanging the blue one back up.

"You can be infuriating when you want to be," he smirked.

"I know," she smiled sardonically, changing into the dress. "Sometimes you make it so easy."

Klaus flashed to stand directly in front of her. "I don't want to argue, love. It doesn't exactly put on a united front for your mother as I ask for your hand in marriage." He brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. "You look lovely in red, too."

She cursed under her breath, knowing it was only a bet and she couldn't stay mad at him. She kissed him softly. "Thank you."

"We should leave in the next fifteen minutes if we're to make it on time," he whispered. "I'll meet you downstairs."

While Caroline finished getting ready, Klaus made his way down to the parlor and found Stefan and Rebekah watching _Casablanca _while Katherine painted her nails and Elijah sat beside her with his laptop open.

"Part of me wants to sit outside on the porch to listen to this," Katherine spoke up without looking away from what she was doing. "I've never met Sheriff Forbes but I've heard she hates you and that's reason enough to like her."

"Katerina," Elijah warned. "Don't give him reason to kill you."

"I already have plenty," Klaus muttered, going to the bar to pour himself a drink.

Rebekah paused the movie. "She'll give you permission, Nik. Caroline wants to marry you so Sheriff Forbes will say yes. I don't know why you're so worried."

"I want her to say yes because she believes it, not because it's just what Caroline wants," Klaus explained. "If she agrees because Caroline wants her to, she'll still always hate me."

"You don't care that I'll always hate you," Katherine scoffed.

"I don't care about you or anyone you're related to," he shot back. "I killed them all anyways."

It took everything in her for Katherine to not flash behind him and snap his neck. She knew that would only get her killed, as well. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, something over his shoulder caught her eye. "Well, well, look who cleans up halfway decent."

Klaus turned to see Caroline standing behind him, wearing the blue dress he'd chosen before, a sure sign of peace. "You look stunning, sweetheart."

"Thank you," she accepted, stepping into the room. "Ready?"

"Yes," he nodded, taking her hand. "Let's go."

"Good luck!" Rebekah called as they walked out the front door.

Klaus led her to the garage. "I'll let you pick the car."

"Ooh," she grinned as the doors opened and an assortment of cars appeared before her. "Oh, my God. Why don't you bring these cars to London? We only have two there and there are like, a dozen here."

He chuckled. "I forget about them sometimes."

Caroline walked to stand in front of a navy blue Porsche 356. "This is just like the car Dylan McKay drove on _Beverly Hills, 90210_, except his was red."

"I don't know what that is," he shook his head, "but it sounds important to you so we'll take this one."

"Good," she beamed, sliding into the front seat.

They rode in silence to her mother's house, stopping briefly to pick up a red wine at the local liquor store. Caroline knew talking would only make him more anxious so she simply held his right hand in hers, rubbing circles over his palm.

"Hi, Mom!" Caroline squealed when they arrived at her childhood home.

Liz hurried down the walk to hug her daughter. "Oh, sweetie, it's been too long."

"Just a year," Caroline reasoned, as Liz had come to England the previous summer to visit. "But it's really good to see you."

Liz straightened up. "Hello, Klaus."

"Sheriff Forbes," he nodded politely. He offered her the wine bottle. "For you."

"Thank you," she accepted. "Well, come on in, the food just arrived."

Moments later, the three of them were situated around the dining room table with plates of Italian food and red wine in front of them.

"How's London?" Liz asked.

"Rainy," Caroline muttered, "but I love it there. I like living with Stefan and Rebekah in a house big enough that we never have to see them if we don't want to."

"And what do you do for fun?" her mother wanted to know, directing the question towards Klaus.

"Well, I like museums and Kensington Gardens," he answered, "but I find myself spending most of my time following her around Sloan Street."

"That's part of the shopping district," Caroline filled in. "And we go to museums plenty. I've been to the Louvre about a hundred times in the last two years that we've lived in London because Paris is so close."

"And I'll bet you just love that," Liz chuckled. "Caroline never much cared for art until you came along."

"She still doesn't," he smirked.

"I like yours!" Caroline protested.

"Because you think you have to," he shot back, taking her hand.

Even though she still wasn't a total fan, Liz did like seeing how happy Klaus made her daughter.

"So, Mom, how are things here?" Caroline asked as they continued eating.

"A little boring," Liz admitted. "The only vampires left are Damon and Elena and they're not doing anything worthy of my time. She volunteers at the kids' home and he does whatever it is Damon does. Without anything supernatural, I don't have much to do."

"Yeah, that sounds awful," Caroline teased. "Well, you could always come to Europe; plenty of supernatural stuff happening there. Or New Orleans. Marcel might like a vampire-friendly sheriff on his side."

"I don't think so," Klaus shook his head, referring to his protégé in the French Quarter. "Marcel doesn't like humans at all, let alone human authority figures."

"I think I'll stay here," Liz declared. "This is my home and I'm happy here. But I do wish I saw you more, honey."

"Me, too," Caroline nodded.

Klaus made a mental note to bring her back to Mystic Falls more often to see her mother.

"So, Klaus, you initiated this dinner, making me think there's an ulterior motive," Liz spoke up as they finished dinner.

Caroline nervously filled her mother's wine glass once more, causing Klaus to chuckle.

"Yes, there is a matter I'd like to discuss," he nodded. "As you're well aware, I've been alive for more than a thousand years. I've built cities and created armies and destroyed entire villages. I've killed and tortured and ruined lives. I came to this town simply to sacrifice the doppelgänger and make my hybrids." He intentionally left out the part where Caroline was originally the vampire he'd planned to use in said sacrifice; it still made him incredibly uncomfortable to think about the fact that he might not have known the happiness he had because of her. "I killed Elena's aunt and then drained Elena of her blood. I terrorized this town and turned Tyler into a hybrid. I forced him to bite his beloved girlfriend on her birthday just to display the authority I had. But then I came to save her life and in that moment, seeing someone so beautiful on the brink of death, something changed. I'd never wanted to help someone as much as I wanted to help her, except perhaps once, when I was still human." At this, Caroline reached for his hand under the table, knowing he was talking about Henrik; he looked at her briefly and smiled. "But she was resilient. She had every right to hate me and it took me a long time to show her why she shouldn't. I was drawn to her light like a moth to a flame and I had to know everything about her. So I stayed. My purpose here changed, though I was gifted at hiding that. I knew that if I was ever to have her, I would have to remain in town to let her see a part of me that no one ever had. And the more time I spent with her, the faster I fell in love with her. All I wanted was for her to be happy and safe, so had Tyler come back, once I gave permission, I would've let him live for her sake. But he didn't and in the end, she gave me a chance I certainly never earned. When I took that stake in her place, the only regret I had in that moment was that I hadn't protected her better leading up to it; I would do it all over again if I had to without a second thought. I have spent every single day of the last ten years trying to be worthy of the man Caroline deserves and while I don't think I ever quite will, she loves me all the same and I am forever grateful for that. Your daughter makes me a better person, Sheriff Forbes. She's beautiful and witty and strong. She's neurotic and obsessive and frustrating. But I love her more than anything in this world and I will spend all of eternity putting her needs before everything else. I cannot imagine going on without her in my life so I ask this of you: may I have your blessing to marry your daughter?" He let out a long breath and eyed Caroline. She was smiling brilliantly at him, tears filling her eyes. "I want to spend every minute of every day showing her just how much she means to me."

Liz cleared her throat before speaking calmly. "When Caroline mentioned you were coming to town so suddenly, I was instantly prepared for this conversation. This afternoon, I even made a pro/con list of reasons why she should or shouldn't marry you."

"And?" Caroline demanded.

"Oh, honey, we both know there are a thousand more cons than pros to you becoming his wife," Liz pointed out. She held up a hand as Caroline opened her mouth to protest. "But those cons pale in comparison to the only two pros I could come up with." She went to her uniform jacket hanging in the foyer and brought it back to her daughter.

Caroline unfolded the sheet of paper and grinned as she read. "_Number one: she loves him. And number two: he saved her life and I don't doubt for a second that he would do it all over again if he had to_."

"So, yes, Klaus, if you want to marry my daughter, please do," Liz told him, offering a hand. "And I'll even start letting you call me Liz."

"Thank you, Liz," he accepted, shaking her hand. "You won't regret this."

"For your sake, I hope not," she smirked. "I'm the only person alive who knows where the last white oak stake is hidden and I'd hate to have to use it."

"Oh, Mom," Caroline rolled her eyes, turning to Klaus. "We're getting married."

"We're getting married," he repeated with a grin and slight nod. "But first, I believe a proposal is in order..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Longest chapter I've ever written for any story. I've been on this site for six years so that's a real feat for me. I didn't intend for it to be so long but I knew where it had to end and things kept popping up to fill the middle. Anyways, hope you like it. I'm so pleased with the response I've gotten so far. Someone mentioned something about it being light for being canon-esque (in a good way) and I strive for that. So many canon stories are dark (and excellent) but I wanted to provide a little fluff for our favorite couple. I'm trying to keep everyone as close to who they are as possible so let me know if I'm doing something too OOC and I'll try to fix it. Glad people are happy to see Katherine. If I can't bring Kol back from the dead, she'll have to do for problem-causing. Anyways, here's chapter 3. As always, let me know what you think. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"So, uh, how soon might this proposal happen?" Caroline asked Klaus later that night as they drove away from her mother's house.

"Patience is a virtue, sweetheart," he reminded her. "Once planning begins, we both know that between you and Rebekah, I won't have much to do so you have to let me do this one thing my way."

"But it has to be soon," she whined. "It's already almost May and I want a June wedding."

"Oh, I know better than to make you wait too long for anything," he assured her. "Your birthday two years ago taught me that."

She giggled, thinking back to it. "It's not my fault you're terrible at hiding presents and I found the necklace. But you didn't have to make me wait three extra days for it."

"Had to teach you a lesson," he smirked. He looked over to see her pouting and sighed. "Just don't make any plans for tomorrow evening."

"Okay!" she perked up. "Now, are you sure you want to sleep in a guest room tonight? I really think we should celebrate my mom's answer."

"Celebrate?" he repeated. "I think your idea of celebrating and mine are rather different, love. I'm willing to discuss it if you're willing to call a truce."

"No," she shook her head. "I'm winning our bet. We're going to a beach."

Klaus eyed her pointedly. "I think we can agree that regardless of who wins, we'll end up on a beach. You'll certainly wear me down on that."

"Well, only because you'll let me," she shot back. "And if you know that, why even go through with this stupid bet? Just sleep with me tonight."

He shook his head. "Even if I give you what you want in the end, I still want to win."

"Why does everything have to be a competition?" she grumbled. "Can't you just gloat about getting to have me around forever? Isn't that enough?"

He grinned. "Of course it is. But why not go above and beyond if I can?"

She just made a face but said nothing as he drove back to their house.

Everyone was still awake when they arrived, waiting to hear about Sheriff Forbes' answer.

"Geez, she said yes," Caroline muttered. "Did you all honestly believe my mother would stand in the way of my eternal happiness?"

"Yes," Katherine nodded. "Well, maybe hoped is more like it. I don't know why you all insist on getting married. What good does it do? We're dead."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "Spoken like someone who won't ever be asked."

Caroline looked to Elijah. As the oldest and most traditional of the Original family, she knew he probably did want to marry Katherine. But Katherine was like Klaus in her beliefs on it; Klaus was just willing to do anything to please Caroline whereas Katherine still cared more about herself than she did about Elijah.

"When are you gonna propose?" Stefan asked, breaking the tension.

"From what I can tell, tomorrow," Caroline answered. "I'm not allowed to make plans for the evening."

"Oh, darn," Katherine deadpanned. "I was hoping we could have girls' night with Rebekah and my dull as dishwater descendant."

"Katerina, why don't you go upstairs?" Klaus suggested, looking her directly in the eye. "And stay there for the rest of the evening."

"This is why you should let me drink vervain," she grumbled to Elijah as she did as she was compelled to do. "_'Oh, no,'_" you say, _'no one in my family will compel you anymore._' Wrong."

"Niklaus," Elijah sighed. "Why?"

"I let her live," Klaus reminded him. "Don't ask for more than that."

Caroline laughed quietly as Elijah followed behind Katherine. "You didn't have to do that."

Klaus shrugged. "Sometimes I like to remind her of her place in our family."

Hearing him call her, and Stefan, family always made Caroline's heart swell. Klaus had always valued family above all else so being a part of that now was comforting, knowing they'd always be together. In the last ten years, she'd gotten closer to their small group than she felt to Elena and Bonnie anymore but it was nice to plan her wedding with the friends from childhood she'd always expected to plan it with, even if Rebekah would play a bigger part.

"Why don't you boys go occupy yourselves while Caroline and I discuss dresses," Rebekah suggested.

"I can tell when I'm not wanted," Stefan laughed, standing up from the couch.

"I'm going to paint," Klaus declared. He took Caroline's hand and pulled her to him. "I imagine this will take up the rest of your evening and seeing as we're not sleeping in the same room, I'll bid you goodnight now."

Caroline frowned. "I still stand by the belief that this is ridiculous. My request is perfectly normal."

"It is," he agreed, "but there's no chance I could sleep in the same bed as you and keep my hands to myself so to honor your wishes, I'll sleep elsewhere."

"For now," she smirked, pressing her body into his. "I know you'll eventually give in."

Klaus just smiled and kissed her softly. "Goodnight, love."

"Night," she whispered as he backed away.

"Come on," Rebekah called over to her. "If you want a June wedding, we aren't going to have much time to plan."

"Okay, okay," Caroline relented, joining her fellow blonde on the couch. "Hey, Bek, I'd really like it if you'd be my maid of honor. I know Stefan is technically my best friend and some people might expect me to choose Elena or Bonnie but you're the girl I'm closest to these days and I trust you to help me with this more than anyone. Plus, I was yours and fair is fair."

Rebekah beamed. "I'd be happy to. Stefan can just be Nik's best man." She picked up her iPad from the coffee table and pulled up a website. "Now, this is the dress I'd like to wear," she explained, not giving Caroline the option to reject it.

Caroline scoffed. "Of course it's designer. Bonnie is a therapist in a small town. She might not be able to afford Monique Lhuillier. Elena has Gilbert and Salvatore money to buy hers but the Bennett's aren't a Founding Family so Bonnie doesn't have unlimited funds to blow."

"So buy it for her," Rebekah shrugged indifferently. "The color options are yellow, mint green, a soft pink, and ivory. Seeing as you'll be in ivory, that's out. I personally like the yellow but I'm willing to let you choose."

"Oh, thank you," Caroline rolled her eyes. At this point, it irked her to agree with Rebekah but the yellow was pretty. She thought for a moment. "Fine, we'll do the yellow. Yellow and a dove gray will be our colors so the guys can wear gray suits with yellow ties. Elijah's tailor can make them, I'm sure."

"Sounds lovely," Rebekah nodded. "Now, what kind of dress are you looking for? It's summer so a ball gown is out of the question. And that's what I wore."

"No, I'm thinking mermaid," Caroline declared. "It best accentuates my figure."

"And Nik likes that style best," Rebekah muttered knowingly.

"Well, I don't want a dress he'd hate," Caroline shrugged. "It's his wedding, too."

Rebekah smirked but said nothing. "We should look in DC. You aren't going to find anything decent around here."

"Sure," Caroline agreed.

Rebekah groaned. "Caroline! How are we going to plan the perfect summer wedding if you—the bride!—won't even participate?"

"I'm sorry," Caroline apologized. "It's just, your brother and I made this stupid bet and I don't like it."

"What bet?" Rebekah asked.

"I took a page from your book and said I wanted to stop having sex until we were married," Caroline told her. "You know, have a little traditionalism in this whole thing. When you guys were human, sex was literally only for like, making babies or whatever."

"It wasn't if you were Nik," Rebekah remembered. "But go on."

Caroline cringed at mention of Klaus' past with the original Petrova doppelgänger but continued. "Anyways, he said the only way that could work is if we don't even sleep in the same bed. I haven't slept apart from him in ten years, Bekah! He's being outrageous."

"Well, not exactly," Rebekah denied. "Stefan grew up in the Civil War era, when the women were sweet and modest and the men were gallant and courteous. To him it was a romantic gesture that made our wedding night that much more special. Nik isn't like that and you wouldn't like him if he were. He's part wolf so he's primal and animalistic. Abstinence is not in his wheelhouse, as you of this time period would say. Expecting him to like that isn't very fair of you, especially when he compromises for you quite a bit already, with the occasional blood bag and sporadic compulsion. That he's even attempting to do it for you shows how committed he is to giving you whatever you bloody well please."

Caroline frowned. "I guess you're right. So I should just give up?"

"Oh, no," Rebekah shook her head with a devilish grin, very reminiscent of Kol. "Now that the bet is in play, you have to win. What are the terms?"

"Winner picks the honeymoon destination," Caroline answered. "He wants some museum tour of Europe which, you know, we've done a hundred times before, and I want a private beach."

"That's the prize?" Rebekah said, scrunching her nose. "He's such a sucker for you, Caroline. There's no way he'll turn down a private beach with you in favor of some boring sculptures he probably saw when they were first made." She smirked. "But, it will be entertaining to see him squirm."

"Well, I don't want to torture him," Caroline sighed. "But it might fun to tease a little."

Rebekah lit up. "And I have the perfect way to start."

Two hours later, Klaus was finishing up his latest landscape when he noticed that the temperature in the house had gone up. Because he was dead, the heat wasn't unbearable but it was certainly noticeable. He stormed out of his studio and ran into Stefan.

"Air's out," Stefan explained, wearing only a pair of cotton pajama pants and a thin t-shirt. "Can't get anyone in to fix it until tomorrow morning."

"We're going to stay with Damon and Elena," Rebekah grumbled as she came up behind her husband with an overnight bag. "Yippee."

Stefan chuckled and wrapped an arm around his wife. "Damon promised to be nice."

"I can handle Damon," Rebekah said as they walked down the hallway. "It's Elena I can't stand."

As the temperature continued rising to stifling levels, Klaus went to check on Caroline. As the youngest vampire in the house, she still reacted as a human to such things. What he found when he reached their room, however, was definitely unexpected. His almost fiancée was sleeping soundly over the blankets, wearing only a see-through camisole and nearly nothing else, as her underwear left very little to the imagination.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, quietly clearing his throat.

"Klaus?" Caroline stirred and sat up. "What's wrong?"

"The A/C is broken, love," he reported. "But I see you're hardly put-out. What's that you're sleeping in?"

"Pajamas," she replied coyly. "It's hot."

"That's what you're going with?" he asked with a knowing smirk. "Caroline, I see exactly what you're doing here."

"I'm trying to sleep," she yawned, feigning innocence. "What are you doing? Did you finish your painting?"

"All right, I'll play along," he grinned. "Yes, I did finish my painting. Did you and Rebekah make any progress?"

"We got a bit distracted," she smiled, "but we made plans to go to DC on Wednesday to dress shop. It's my mom's day off. I just have to make sure Elena and Bonnie can go. I would like you all to wear gray suits though; we did decide on that."

Klaus was having a hard time concentrating while she wore so little. He cleared his throat again. "What? Oh, fine. Yes, gray is fine."

Caroline bit the inside of her cheek to keep the giggle from escaping. She could see he was incredibly uncomfortable by the whole situation, which meant the plan she'd cooked up with Rebekah was working in her favor.

"Are you all right?" she asked him, crawling out of the bed slowly, only making it worse. "Is the heat getting to you? We could sit outside for a while."

"No, I'm fine," he shook his head. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay in the heat. Now that I know you are, I'll head to bed."

Caroline stood in front of him. "Okay then. Goodnight, Klaus." She pressed the softest of kisses to the corner of his mouth. "I love you."

"You aren't playing fair, sweetheart," he whispered.

"I know," she whispered back as she slowly backed away from him. "Enjoy the guest room. It's gonna be a very long eight weeks."

"Yes, it is," he muttered as he left the room.

Early the following morning, Klaus watched as an aging repair man crawled around his basement, looking at the heating system.

"The problem, Mr. Mikaelson, is simple," the man spoke up, as he stood. "Someone flipped the fuse."

"You don't say?" Klaus mused, shaking his head in amusement as he handed the worked several bills. "Well, I appreciate you coming out so early." He stared at the man as his pupils dilated. "Now you'll leave and forget you were ever here."

Caroline made her way into the kitchen a couple hours later—fully clothed—and found Klaus sketching. "Morning."

"Good morning, love," he greeted her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Like a baby," she nodded, pouring a cup of coffee. "I forgot how comfortable that bed is. What about you?"

"Just fine," he assured her. "I'm not surprised you slept well. You must've been exhausted with all that fuse flipping you did so late."

"What?" she laughed incredulously. "What fuse?"

He flashed to stand dangerously close to her. "I could compel it out of you."

"You wouldn't if your life depended on it," she shot back, kissing him. "And besides, it was Rebekah. I didn't even know where it was." She ducked away from him. "We never made any rules so all's fair in love and war."

"War?" he repeated. "Is that what this little game has become?"

"I suppose," she shrugged. "But before you go plotting your own strategy, you have to remember that I'm all vampire so I'm not driven by animal instinct like a certain hybrid might be. It would take a hell of a lot of persuasion for you to break me."

"Oh, I think you underestimate me and overestimate yourself," he told her. "But we'll see."

"I don't know what you two are talking about and I don't care but I don't want to hear it," Katherine announced as she and Elijah joined them. "What the hell was up with the heat last night? At first I just thought it was us but even after we finished, it was still hot in our room."

"Ew," Caroline grimaced.

"Katerina," Elijah warned. "Neither the time nor place."

The brunette simply rolled her eyes and took a blood bag from the fridge. "So, when will I be fitted for my bridesmaid dress?"

"Please," Caroline scoffed. "You'll be a bridesmaid in my wedding when pigs fly."

Katherine pouted facetiously. "But Elijah is in the wedding!"

"Because we like him," Caroline replied. "And for that, we tolerate you."

"Well, well, well, look who thinks she's tough now that she's marrying the big, bad hybrid," Katherine murmured. "Don't forget who turned you and essentially gave you the opportunity to have eternity with Klaus."

Elijah saw the look on his younger brother's face and knew when to rein Katherine in. "Katerina, come. You're the one who wanted to go into Richmond for the day so we should get going." He held out a hand and gave her no choice but to follow him.

"I hate that bitch," Caroline said loud enough so the departing duo would hear. "She killed me and now gets to hold it over my head forever?"

"Is that how you see it?" Klaus asked her. "She forced this life upon you?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, "because she did." She moved to stand in front of him again. "But I don't regret it for a second. You're the one who first pointed out that I like being a vampire—strong, ageless, fearless." She grinned. "Did I get it right? Isn't that what you told me?"

"Yes," he nodded, reaching up to caress her cheek. "And you are all of those things and so much more."

"I know," she breathed. "You showed me that. So, what time should I be ready tonight?"

"Say, 7:00?" he suggested. "Nothing too formal so you don't have to worry about dressing up."

"I'm intrigued," she admitted. "Am I going to cry?"

"Perhaps," was his vague response. "I have some business to attend to so will you be all right for the day?"

"Klaus, we're in my hometown," she reminded him. "Of course I'll be okay. Tell Marcel I say hi," she said over her shoulder as she headed back towards the foyer to the stairs, knowing that was who he would be doing business with.

"Will do," he chuckled, watching her go.

"Uh, hey, Care," Matt said a while later when they ran into each other in the town square. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking a walk," she replied, noticing his dodgy behavior. "What's going on?"

"Huh?" he replied nervously. "Oh, nothing."

Caroline eyed him. "You're a terrible liar, Matt Donovan. Tell me or I'll compel it out of you."

He frowned. "You wouldn't."

She caved. "No, of course I wouldn't, but I'd like to think you could tell me anything."

"Not this," he denied, looking around. "Not now."

Caroline heard a soft _whoosh_ behind her.

"Hey, Care."

She turned slowly and felt as though the ground fell out from under her. "Tyler?"

"It's good to see you," her ex-boyfriend muttered. "How have you been?"

Part of her, the high school part, wanted to slap him for his belief that he could just show up so suddenly after ten years and ask such a nonchalant question, but a bigger part of her was just happy to see her old friend alive and well.

"I'm good," she answered. "How about you? It's been a while."

"Yeah," he nodded.

Matt instantly felt awkward standing there, knowing the conversation was about to go a lot further than he wanted to witness. "I should go. I'll catch up with you both later."

Caroline sat down on a bench and Tyler followed suit.

"I've been living out west," he spoke up after a long silence. "I joined a pack in California about seven years ago and I'm their alpha. They don't care that I'm half-vampire and I sort of turned that side of me off."

"I'm glad you're happy," she replied genuinely.

"Have you stayed in Mystic Falls?" he wanted to know.

Caroline's stomach knotted as she realized he didn't know and hadn't heard anything. "No, I left town nine years ago and have visited only briefly to see my mom. I live in London now."

"London?" he repeated. "Alone?"

"Not exactly," she denied. "I live there with Stefan, his wife, and my fiancée."

He was momentarily silent. "You're getting married? And you live with Stefan?"

"His wife is my fiancée's younger sister," she explained carefully, knowing the truth was coming.

"Huh," Tyler said. "I always thought he'd end up with Elena but I assume she's with Damon?"

"Yep," she confirmed, glad to move onto another subject. "What about you? Any girls in your pack?"

"A few," he reported, "but none are my girlfriend or anything. We're like a family. I assume your fiancée is a vampire?"

"Something like that," she smirked before she could stop herself.

Tyler eyed her. "What does that mean?" A beat passed as understanding crossed his features. "Care, tell me you're not." When she said nothing, his face twisted in a mix of horror and disgust. "You're marrying Klaus?!"

Caroline had always thought that if anyone could ever make her feel a bit ashamed of the happiness she'd found with Klaus, it would be Tyler, but hearing him spit out his former sire's name like he did only angered her now.

"Yes, I am," she snapped. "You can sit there and be angry and start rattling off all the terrible things he did in the past but you won't make me feel bad for my decision, Tyler. I love him and he's not the same person he was ten or eleven years ago."

"He killed my mother!" Tyler cried. "He made me leave town and that forced us apart, Care. He's a monster!"

"No!" she shook her head vehemently. "He sent you away for a few months. You could've come back, Tyler; you chose not to."

"And what? You just ran to his arms?" he demanded.

She calmed down, knowing a scene in the town square was the last thing she needed. "No, but we became friends. He was there for me when everything was falling apart. You were gone, Elena turned off her humanity, Bonnie went crazy, and Silas was here, determined to open the gates to the Other Side and wreak havoc on earth. Klaus was the only person, except for maybe Stefan, who noticed I was still around. Matt, too, but he tried to understandably distance himself from all of the madness."

"If you were 'just friends,' how did you end up together?" Tyler wondered bitterly. "Hayley and I were always just friends but you never trusted us. And I know he was in love with you back when you and I were together."

"Well, the more time I spent with him, the more I saw his human side," she admitted softly. "And during the final battle with Silas, just as he was about to plunge the white oak stake into my heart, Klaus jumped in front of me and took it instead. I knew, in that moment, that I was in love with him and had been for longer than I wanted to admit. But I was so afraid that I was losing him that I didn't care anymore. Bonnie came then and did some spell that just barely stopped the stake from reaching his heart and he survived. We haven't been apart since."

Tyler was silent as he digested all of that information.

"I know it sounds crazy," she went on, "and I'm not asking you to like it even. But it's what is now and I'm happier than I've ever been. And let's be honest, Tyler; you were always going to identify with your werewolf side more than the vampire part and that never would've worked for us. You belong in a pack and they wouldn't have accepted me."

He frowned and shook his head. "We could've tried."

"That would've started with you coming back when you had the chance, but you didn't," she pointed out. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, Elena and Matt only tolerate him for my sake and Bonnie still hates him, too."

"Marrying Klaus," he grumbled. "I don't even know who you are anymore, Caroline."

She stood up. "And that's okay because honestly, I'm a lot different than the girl you once knew and loved. But I am going to invite you to the wedding and if you're my friend, like you once were, you'll come and you'll see how happy I am and that'll be enough for you." She walked away before Tyler could respond.

"She's gonna love it," Stefan told Klaus after the hybrid finished telling his friend of his proposal plan as they sat in the parlor. "It will mean a lot to her."

"I hope so," Klaus murmured. "Caroline is far less high-maintenance than Rebekah so I knew proposing on the Eiffel Tower was out."

Stefan rolled his eyes at the dig; his wife had loved his proposal on the Parisian landmark. "Do you know what you're going to say?"

"Yes," Klaus nodded. "Well, I think so."

"Wow," Stefan breathed. "You know she's going to say yes no matter what you say and yet, you're way more nervous about asking Caroline than you were to talk to Liz."

"I want to do right by her," Klaus reasoned. "She deserves the best of everything."

"To Caroline, _you're _the best of everything," Stefan told him. "As long as she gets to walk down an aisle and have you waiting for her, that's all that matters."

Klaus would never admit it out loud but he liked having Stefan as his genuine friend again. The Stefan he knew in the 1920's, the Ripper of Monterey, was fun but that wasn't the real Stefan; this was and he still seemed to like Klaus, too. Granted, it happened after years of Caroline and Rebekah forcing them together but it was a true friendship now and they'd even blossomed into family.

"Still," Klaus went on, "I want tonight to be perfect."

"If you don't want to spoil anything unintentionally, you'll stop talking now!" Caroline called out as she walked into the house. Moments later, she found her two favorite men in the parlor. "Hi."

Stefan looked to her. "I um, heard from Matt a little bit ago."

"Ahh," she muttered. "And I take it he mentioned running into me?"

"He did," Stefan replied, standing up. "I'll let you two talk."

Caroline walked over to sit next to Klaus on the couch. "Tyler is back in Mystic Falls."

His jaw visibly clenched. "And you saw him?"

"I did," she said. "We spoke for a few minutes."

"Did you tell him about us?" he asked. "I'll understand if you didn't."

"Of course I told him," she smiled. "I'm not ashamed of you, Klaus. I'm not saying what you did was right or justified and I never will but you did give him the opportunity to come back and if he had loved me like he swore he did, he would've. You aren't the sociopathic Original ass who came here eleven years ago." She paused. "Well, you can still be an ass but you're an ass I fell in love with along the way."

He chuckled. "You have quite a bit to say about my ass, love."

"Oh, God," she rolled her eyes. "Forget I said anything." She stood to go before remembering something else so she sat back down. "Oh, yeah, I might've mentioned to Tyler that we're gonna invite him to the wedding." She winced instinctively, waiting for him to erupt.

Klaus breathed deeply. The absolute last person on the planet he wanted to see as Caroline walked down the aisle to him was Tyler Lockwood but if it made her feel better to have him there, he would allow it. Besides, it would be fun to rub it in the mutt's face that he got the girl in the end.

"Fine," he agreed. "Tyler can come to the wedding."

"Thank you," she smiled, leaning into him. "How's Marcel?"

"Same as always," he replied, wrapping an arm around her as they lounged on the couch. "He's still fighting with Sophie everyday but Davina has apparently really come into her power so he's been using her instead."

"And Camille?" Caroline seethed, referring to the college girl who'd made it clear her feelings for Klaus back when they were in New Orleans. "How's that little tramp?"

"Old," he laughed, playing with the ends of her hair. "Camille is 30 now, sweetheart. You have no reason to be jealous of her anymore. Not that you ever did. Camille doesn't hold a candle."

"Duh," she scoffed. "But I still didn't like her. The way she threw herself at you? It was pathetic."

Klaus just chuckled softly. "I love you, Caroline."

She snuggled into him. "I love you, too. And I love lying here like this. It's a shame we can do it every night."

"Oh, we could do so much more than this every night," he whispered, letting his hand fall to stroke her arm.

Caroline knew he was playing her now. "This is going to be awful, isn't it?"

"Indeed," he confirmed. "You know, we technically aren't engaged yet so if we went up to our room right now, we wouldn't be breaking any rules of the bet. It was just start tomorrow, as it should."

Caroline considered this for half a second before jumping up. "No way! Cause if we have sex right now, you'd win. It isn't night so we wouldn't fall asleep together in the same bed afterwards. You're trying to trick me."

"I almost had you," he smirked knowingly.

"I'm gonna go see Elena," she decided, knowing she had to get away from him for a while to calm the temptation. "And I'll get ready at the boarding house so you can pick me up there. It will be like a real date."

"All right," he approved. "Remember, dress casually and I'll see you at seven."

"Okay," she said, leaving him alone in the parlor.

"Blondie!" Damon cried twenty minutes later when he opened the door to the boarding house to let her in. "You look...the same."

"Ha-ha," she deadpanned, pushing past him. "Is Elena here?"

"She's not," he shook his head, following her to the sitting room. "But you're welcome to hang out with me til she gets home."

Caroline frowned but agreed. She looked around. "It's different in here."

"Well, Elena has made some changes," he explained. "She said it was too dark for her to live in all the time. Stefan was the one who liked the old, antique-y look."

She couldn't help but laugh. "That's funny because the house in London is all light and modern. It's mostly because of Rebekah but he goes along with it just fine."

"Weird," Damon mumbled. "Never in a million years did I think my baby bro would marry Barbie Klaus. You marrying original recipe? Yeah, I saw that coming."

"How?" she scoffed. "It's not like you and I were very close when I still lived here."

"No, but you're attracted to darkness because you think you can fix it," he explained. "I mean, come on. You liked me when I was darker."

"I liked you because you were hot and Stefan rejected me for Elena," she corrected. "And then I didn't like you but you still made me."

Damon frowned. "I wasn't the best guy back then. I hated my brother and I wanted to make him miserable in any possible way. But I've changed. And you're about to marry the worst thing to ever happen to this town so why do you still hate me?"

"You never apologized," she admitted quietly. "And then you just went on and acted like nothing ever happened. You told me I was worthless, Damon, at a time in my life where I felt like that every day. And then you basically treated me like that for two years. I was always just collateral damage to you." She sighed. "But you've been good for Elena so I sort of let it go. I just won't forget about it."

"Understandable," he nodded. "But I do feel bad for how I treated you. You were still adjusting to this life and you deserved better. I'm sorry."

Caroline smirked. "I like how you say it now, just a couple hours before I accept a marriage proposal from the only guy who's ever really scared you."

"Oh, please," he shook his head. "I was never afraid of Klaus."

"Okay, Damon," Caroline said with an eye roll. "But I appreciate your apology and I'll consider it."

He just gave a tight smile. "You want a drink?"

"Yes," she declared.

"How's Klaus asking you?" he wanted to know as he split a blood bag into two glass tumblers.

"No idea," she shrugged. "I'm supposed to dress casually so it won't be too fancy." She eyed him. "Think you and Elena will ever take the plunge?"

"Nah," he replied. "Human Elena wanted to get married but human Elena and vampire Elena are two different people who want different things. I'm surprised Klaus wants to get married."

"I don't know that he really does," she murmured, "but I do so he'll do it for me."

Damon chuckled and sat back down. "Who'd have thought big, bad Klaus' one weakness would be our very own Miss Mystic Falls?"

"It's my light," she joked.

"Well, you are full of it," he agreed. "Even when everything was going to hell, you always kept everyone together. I probably wouldn't have a relationship with my brother if it weren't for you, Blondie. And I definitely wouldn't have Elena. So thank you; I owe you one."

"Wow," she breathed. "I should've worn a wire in here today cause no one will ever believe that you apologized and thanked me in one sitting. Only took ten years to do."

"Don't think it'll ever happen again," he warned. "Cause it won't."

"Once is plenty," she assured him as the front door opened and Elena walked in.

"Hey," Elena greeted them uncertainly. "Well, it doesn't look like anyone has been staked."

"Damon and I are making amends," Caroline told her. "Or starting to."

"Good," Elena beamed. "I'm happy to hear that. So, Care, what's up? I wasn't expecting you, was I?"

"No, but tonight is the night Klaus is proposing and I want him to pick me up somewhere like it's a real date," Caroline said as she followed Elena upstairs.

Elena laughed as she walked into her bedroom. "You guys don't go on dates?"

"We do," Caroline sighed, "but this is huge deal. It's not the same if I meet him in the foyer and we just go from there. This is like high school. Oh! Speaking of high school, Tyler is back in town."

"What?" Elena cried. "And you saw him?"

"Yeah," Caroline nodded, sitting on Elena and Damon's bed. "We talked. He's the alpha of some pack out in California or something and he's happy. Not so much about me marrying Klaus but happy in general. And we're inviting him to the wedding."

Elena spun around so fast she felt whiplash. "Klaus is letting you invite Tyler to your wedding?! God, he really is wrapped around your finger."

Caroline grinned. "So, how was it having Stefan and Rebekah last night?"

"Fine," Elena answered. "I miss Stefan and I'm willing to try with Rebekah. She still hates me but for his sake, I won't indulge her."

"She still feels threatened by you, even though she's the one he married," Caroline reported, knowing Rebekah would never want her to tell Elena that. "Give her another 100 years or so of wedded bliss and she'll come around."

Elena laughed once. "I guess it's a good thing that's an option for us. So what was up with you and Damon?"

"We were just talking," Caroline shrugged. She knew Elena deserved to know what had been said between them but she wanted to tell Klaus first. "Let's just say I won't hate him as long as Rebekah is likely to hate you."

Elena tossed a pillow at her friend. "Thanks a lot."

Caroline fidgeted with the diamond necklace Klaus had given her for her birthday a couple years ago. "Do you think I'm pressuring him into this?"

"What?" Elena asked. "Care, no. As much as he loves you and wants to give you everything, he'd never do something he was adamantly against. He might not say it, but he likes the idea of marrying you."

"I hope," Caroline sighed. "Hey, can you go to DC on Wednesday to dress shop? That's my mom's only day off and we don't have much time."

"Sure," Elena agreed. "I usually go to the kids' home on Wednesdays but I'll just go Thursday instead."

"Um, don't be mad but I asked Rebekah to be my maid of honor," Caroline whispered. "But you're still my best friend; Bonnie, too." That wasn't entirely true anymore but she did feel bad about it all.

"It's okay, Care," Elena chuckled. "You're with her almost every day. And besides, we both know Stefan is really your best friend. You two are good for each other."

"I guess," Caroline nodded. "And you and Bonnie are still my bridesmaids and will be as much a part of the planning as you want to be."

Elena hugged her friend. "I'm really happy for you, Care. And I'll do whatever you need me to. Now, let's get you ready for that diamond. Casual or not, your nails have to be perfect."

At seven o'clock on the dot, Klaus rang the doorbell of the boarding house.

"Klaus," Damon muttered as he let him inside.

"Damon," Klaus responded, knowing that was as pleasant as he could be with the elder Salvatore brother. "Is Caroline ready?"

"Hey, Blondie?" Damon called. "Your date is here!"

Caroline checked her reflection in Elena's full-length mirror one last time. She abided by the casual rule but still wore a gray cotton sundress and matching sandals. She'd softly curled her hair and applied light makeup.

"How do I look?" she wanted to know.

"Perfect," Elena gushed, handing over a light denim jacket. "In case it gets cold. Now, go get that ring."

It was difficult for Klaus to be around Damon without having any threats to warn him of so the two men stood silently in the foyer, waiting for Caroline to come down.

Elena descended first. "She's coming."

Klaus took a deep breath as he heard Caroline's footsteps on the stairs. He smiled as she appeared, wearing a simple dress and jacket.

He walked over to take her hand. "You look beautiful."

"Thanks," she whispered. "Ready?"

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Elena, I'll call you tomorrow," she said over her shoulder as he led her to the door. "Bye, Damon."

"Later, Blondie," Damon replied, a hint of newly-found fondness in his voice.

Caroline stood in the drive and looked around. "Where's your car?"

Suddenly he was behind her, covering her eyes with a silk blindfold. "We aren't driving."

"Klaus, no!" she cried as he swept her up into his arms. "You're carrying me there? This is crazy."

"It's the easiest way to surprise you," he explained, flashing away from the Salvatore house. "Just hold on tight."

Caroline clutched onto him as he ran, but before she could try to figure out where they were going, he stopped and set her down. She felt soft ground beneath her feet and could hear the sound of animals all around.

"Are we in the woods?" she scoffed.

Klaus reached up to remove the blindfold.

Caroline gasped and looked around, immediately recognizing it as the exact spot where Silas had staked him for her ten years ago. "Why are we here? I don't like this place."

"I know," he said, taking her hands to comfort her, "but it's an important place, love. This is where everything changed for us and I wouldn't take it back for the world. I brought you here because despite what happened the first time we stood on this ground, we survived and get to spend eternity together. I wanted to bring you back to this place because I want a happy memory here."

Caroline's breathing slowed. "Okay."

He counted backwards from three before he began his speech. "I never expected to fall in love, least of all with a baby who more than a millennium younger than me. The only other girl I'd ever loved was toxic and she drove a wedge between me and my brother so from then on, I decided love was a weakness and as the most powerful creature on earth, a weakness was the last thing I needed in my life. And then I came here and met you. You were beautiful and stubborn and resilient. Though your friends were always trying to kill me, I liked that you were always willing to do whatever they asked of you because you were loyal. For most of my life, I valued loyalty above all else. But, as you know, it was your light that I was drawn to most. I'd roamed this earth for a thousand years in darkness, the alpha male of all alpha males, and I never thought I'd see the light again. But you brought it back into my life, whether you wanted to at first or not. I know I didn't make it easy for you to like me but despite every terrible thing I did, you managed to bring out the humanity I thought I'd lost long ago. And I tried so hard to be better, if only to show you that I could be trusted and was worthy of your friendship. More than anything, I hated Tyler because he had you and I didn't. When I sent him away, it was out of spite and jealousy. I needed time to show you the part of me I wanted only you to know and that never could've happened with him here. And when I gave him the opportunity to return and he didn't, I couldn't remember ever being happier because you didn't push me away." He looked around. "And then we ended up here that night. I watched in horror as Silas cornered you against this tree and knew in that instant that I would protect you in any way possible so I willingly sacrificed myself. I know you still sometimes have nightmares about that night but I'd do it all over again if I had to, love, because I can't imagine a world without you in it, even if I weren't." He smiled and ran his thumbs across her hands. "But here we are, ten years later, and all I've known in those ten years is happiness and that's because you're with me every day. I wake up and you're there, I go to bed and you're there. I don't deserve you, Caroline, but I'll do everything in my power to keep you." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the tell-tale box before getting down on one knee. He opened the box to reveal a stunning princess-cut diamond on an antique setting. "So, Miss Forbes, will you do me the great honor of being my wife and shining your light on me for another thousand lifetimes?"

Tears filled her eyes as Caroline let his words sink in. His speech to her mother the previous night had been sweet but this was so much more.

"Yes," she finally answered, nodding her head. "I'll marry you."

He slid the ring onto the appropriate finger and stood up to take her into his arms. "I love you, Caroline."

She kissed him. "I love you, too, Nik."

"I can't wait to call you my wife," he told her.

"You're the only person I'd give that privilege to," she teased, pressing her forehead to his. "Thank you for making this a happy place."

"Anything for you," he whispered, pressing his lips to hers once more. "Absolutely anything, sweetheart."

Caroline squealed and jumped up, wrapping her legs around him. "June 30th can't come soon enough now."

"June 30th?" he mused.

"Yep," she confirmed. "As of June 30th, you're stuck with me forever, Mikaelson."

"I can't think of anything that sounds better," he replied. "Though I'm not sure forever will be enough."

Caroline just kissed him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's chapter 4. Longer A/N at the end. Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"Well, this little trip just became a lot more complicated," Rebekah reported as she and Stefan joined Caroline and Klaus in the kitchen Wednesday morning. "Elijah cornered me and begged that we let Katherine come along."

Caroline frowned, knowing Rebekah gave in. "She isn't going to be helpful and he knows that. Why would he even want her to come?"

"He's probably doing it for himself," Stefan reasoned. "No one wants Katherine around so he's taken it upon himself to keep her company and I'm sure that's driving him crazy. People actually like Elijah but they don't want to be around him if she tags along."

"So we have to suffer through an entire day with her?" Caroline complained. "That hardly seems fair."

"I'll just compel her to play nice," Klaus spoke up.

"No, don't do that," Caroline sighed. "That will only piss Elijah off. I guess she can come and we can just threaten her with compulsion by Rebekah if she gets too annoying. Or Bonnie can give her an aneurysm."

"I'm sorry," Rebekah apologized. "I'm not very good at telling him no when he asks so politely."

"It's fine," Caroline shrugged. "I should probably warn Elena though." She pulled her phone out of the pocket of her dress and headed to the dining room.

"Hey," Klaus said, following after her. "I can tell Elijah that Katerina isn't your problem; he should know that anyways."

"It's okay, really," she assured him.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Don't lie to me, love. I know you women take wedding dress shopping very seriously and I don't want her ruining it for you."

"Who knows?" she shrugged. "Maybe her harsh opinions will come in handy when everyone else is telling me I look great in an awful dress."

"You could wear a garbage bag and look better than anyone else in the room," he assured her. "But seriously, Caroline, don't feel bad if you have Rebekah compel her today because she deserves far worse."

Caroline nodded. "I know. If she harasses Elena too much or is criticizing callously, I'll let Rebekah take care of it."

"Promise?" he requested.

"Promise," she replied. "But I do need to call Elena and Bonnie to prepare them."

"Okay," he agreed, backing away.

"Hey, I'm on my way," Elena said when she answered Caroline's call moments later. "Is everyone else already there?"

"No," Caroline denied. "My mom and Bonnie are still on their way, too. But I wanted to tell you before you get here that we have someone else joining us."

"Who?" Elena asked as she drove through town.

"Our least favorite Petrova," Caroline admitted cautiously. "Elijah begged Rebekah to let her come and Rebekah couldn't say no."

Elena made a face. "And you're okay with that? You hate her almost as much as I do and Klaus hates her most of all."

"Well, Elijah's been holed up with her since they got here because no one wants her around and I feel bad for him," Caroline said. "I know he loves her and likes spending time with her but he deserves a break. I don't like spending all my time with Klaus."

"Liar," she heard him chuckle from the kitchen.

"I get it," Elena sighed. "Well, I guess if I can survive a night with Rebekah, I can survive an afternoon with Katherine. Just tell your mom to break out her old wooden bullets."

Caroline laughed. "Thanks for being okay with this."

"It's not about my feelings for Katherine today," Elena reminded her. "It's about finding you the perfect wedding dress. I'll see you in a few minutes."

Caroline hung up and walked back to the kitchen, finding that Katherine and Elijah had joined them.

"Morning, princess," Katherine greeted her. "Are you excited for our big day?"

"Don't make me regret this," Caroline warned. "I'm trying to be pleasant."

"You're doing a nice thing that Katerina appreciates," Elijah told the blonde. "Right, Katerina?"

"Whatever," Katherine muttered. "I'd do just about anything to get out of this house so wedding dress shopping will suffice."

"And you're going to be polite, correct?" Elijah asked.

"God, you sound like my father," Katherine grumbled.

"How would you remember?" Klaus wondered. "I slaughtered him five centuries ago."

"Stop," Caroline pleaded. "This is not how I want this day to begin."

Klaus and Katherine glared at each other for another long minute before he finally looked to his fiancée. "I'm sorry."

Rebekah scoffed. "Can we just go? It's a two-hour drive to D.C. and it's already almost nine."

"The car isn't here yet," Stefan reminded her. "Klaus ordered a driver for you all today."

"You did?" Caroline asked him.

"Of course," Klaus confirmed. "It seemed wasteful to drive two cars so I called for an SUV big enough for all of you. That way when Rebekah gets drunk at dinner, she won't have to get behind the wheel." He skillfully caught the sharp knife his little sister threw at him without even looking.

"Hello?!" Elena's voice rang out moments later from the foyer.

"In here!" Caroline called back. "Hey, guys," she grinned as Elena led Bonnie and Liz into the kitchen.

"Oh, goody," Katherine sighed upon seeing Elena. "How many times will I be required to pretend you're my dull, less attractive twin sister today?"

Caroline closed her eyes in annoyance. "Katherine, I'm letting you come because Elijah asked nicely and I don't want to be mean but if you aren't going to appreciate the gesture, you can stay home and go to the tux fittings with the guys; they're only going to Richmond."

"As difficult as this is to admit, dress shopping with you all is the lesser of two evils," Katherine declared. "I can handle cattiness and bitchy whispers but I'm not in the mood for Klaus and Stefan to harass me all day if I go with them. So I'll go to D.C. and laugh at your terrible taste."

"Why do you like her?" Elena grumbled to Elijah.

He just chuckled. "I imagine you often wonder the same of Caroline and Niklaus."

Elena shrugged. "Surprisingly, he's easier to deal with now but I think Katherine just gets meaner."

"Well, when it's just the two of us in Paris, she's different," he replied. "It doesn't help that everyone here seems to band together against her."

Elena said nothing back.

Klaus looked towards the foyer. "The car is pulling up so you ladies should be on your way."

Caroline grabbed her vintage Chanel bag from the counter. "Elijah, remember what I said about the suits. Klaus and Stefan don't know the difference between dove gray and pearl gray and Matt won't care. It has to be canary yellow for the ties and Klaus' should be different than everyone else's somehow."

"I know, Caroline," Elijah assured her, having had this conversation several times since his brother had officially proposed. "We won't confirm anything without sending along photos."

"Okay," she breathed. "Well, boys, have fun. Stefan, Matt is expecting you at ten-thirty."

While Rebekah and Katherine bid farewells to Stefan and Elijah, Caroline started to follow her mother, Elena, and Bonnie to the foyer before a pair of strong hands grabbed her waist and stopped her in the hallway.

"Leaving without a proper goodbye?" Klaus mused. "Bad form, love."

"It's just a day," she scoffed, secretly pleased he didn't like the idea of spending the entire day apart anymore than she did. "I'll be back after dinner."

He backed her up against the wall and placed hands on either side of her. "I know you sometimes believe you spend too much money but I don't want you to worry about that. Not that you ever need to but least of all today. Rebekah is under strict order to make sure you find the dress of your dreams, regardless of cost, and I'll be sure to send the message along to Elena and your mother, as well."

Caroline smirked. "Don't worry about that. I would never penny pinch over my wedding dress. Besides, Rebekah once told me what you spent on my prom dress so price is the least of my concerns."

Klaus chuckled, thinking back to her senior prom. "All right then." He leaned in to kiss her, reaching up to tangle his hands in her hair. "Enjoy today and don't hesitate to take whatever measures necessary to keep Katerina in line."

"Okay," she breathed, a bit dazed from the intensity of his kiss. "You know, this sleeping apart has its upsides if that's how you're gonna kiss me goodbye."

"Yes, but sleeping together would have many more," he teased, nudging her in the direction of the front door.

"What was that about?" Elena asked her quietly as they walked outside.

"Oh, God, you heard?" Caroline realized, glancing ahead at Liz.

"I only did because I have that ability," Elena replied. "You aren't sleeping together?"

"I said I wanted to stop having sex until we're married and that turned into us not even sleeping in the same bed," Caroline explained. "It's become a stupid bet and we're definitely pushing each other to our limits."

Elena grinned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, the night Stefan and Rebekah stayed with you guys, it was because she flipped the fuse to the air conditioner," Caroline murmured. "And that was only so Klaus would check on me in the extreme heat and find me sleeping in very little clothing to tempt him back to our bed. When he realized what I was up to, he joined the game so the next night, after he'd proposed, I found him swimming naked and he knows how I feel about sex in pools. On Monday night, I had to up the ante so after I'd been in bed for a while, I faked a nightmare about that night with Silas just loud enough that he would hear and come to our room. He sat for a while to comfort me but when I started begging him to stay, he wised up." She sighed in frustration. "And then he almost had me yesterday." She paused. "But I'm not sure it's a story you want to hear."

"Probably not," Nina agreed. "Well, what do you get if you win?"

"Winner picks our honeymoon destination," Caroline said as they climbed into the middle seat of the massive SUV. "I want a beach, he wants museums."

Elena rolled her eyes. "Like Klaus is going to turn down the opportunity to have you all to himself on a beach."

"Precisely what I said," Rebekah spoke from her place in the backseat beside Katherine and Bonnie; Liz sat in front with the driver. "He's only in it now to say he wins, not for the agreed prize."

Katherine rolled her eyes without looking up from filing her nails. "You do realize that his compulsive need to always be the alpha male will eventually result in him winning, right?"

"Please," Bonnie jumped in. "Everyone knows his Achilles heel is Caroline. All she really has to do is pout a little and he'll cave."

"I don't want it to be like that," Caroline told them. "I want it to be a fair fight, not me using his weakness for me against him. That isn't fun. I'm competitive, too."

Katherine groaned. "Is this what you all are going to talk about all day?"

Bonnie looked to her and gave her a brief aneurysm. "Is that going to bother you all day?"

Katherine winced. "I forgot what a bitch you can be."

"You won't anymore," Bonnie replied.

Liz eyed the driver but he just continued to drive, almost as if his eyes were glued to the road. "Does he—?"

"He's been compelled," Rebekah assured her. "Nik told me before we left. It's never safe for anyone to climb into a car of four vampires and a moderately powerful witch if they aren't family or friend."

Caroline saw Bonnie make a face at being referred to as only 'moderately powerful' and laughed. "It's okay, Mom."

"Okay," Liz murmured, looking ahead.

"Where are we going once we get to D.C.?" Elena wanted to know.

"A bridal boutique called Bliss," Rebekah reported. "It's appointment-only and has a waiting list six months out but strings were pulled."

Caroline sighed. "He doesn't have to do stuff like this."

"Nik didn't," Rebekah said. "I did. This is the only place in the city that sells the Monique Lhuillier dress I want."

"Of course," Katherine smirked. "I knew this wedding wouldn't happen without you seeping your way in. And I thought this little excursion was about finding the princess a dress?"

"It is," Rebekah nodded, "but we only have eight weeks before the wedding so we, the bridesmaids Caroline chose to stand beside her, need to be fitted, as well. You can sit and observe quietly."

"Bek," Caroline warned, shaking her head. "Just let it go"

"You're too nice for your own good sometimes, Caroline," Rebekah sighed.

"So I've been told," Caroline smiled.

When they arrived in Washington, D.C., their driver dropped them off in front of Bliss and Rebekah led them inside the swanky boutique.

"Wow," Liz breathed, looking around in awe. "Um, Caroline, I'm not sure I can afford a dress from here. Small-town sheriffs don't make much money."

"Don't worry about it," Caroline told her quietly. "Klaus and I are buying everyone's dress; he insists."

"A mother pays for her daughter's wedding," Liz muttered, "not the other way around."

Caroline took Liz's hand and squeezed it gently. "Mom, you gave him your permission to marry me so he would give you the moon if you wanted it. Don't feel bad about this; Klaus is like, a bajillionaire. He's been investing and making money for a thousand years."

"Ladies, welcome to Bliss," a blonde woman greeted them brightly. "I'm Justine. Which one of you is Caroline, my bride?"

"I am," Caroline announced, stepping forward. "This is my mom, Liz; my maid of honor and future sister-in-law, Rebekah; my bridesmaids and best friends, Elena and Bonnie; and that's Katherine."

Justine looked back and forth between Elena and Katherine. "Identical, right?"

"Yes," Elena answered quickly before Katherine could make a nasty comment. "She's just a bit older than me."

Caroline laughed softly at the age joke. "I'm getting married in eight weeks so we'll need to rush everything."

"Eight weeks?" Justine repeated. "To have everything finished in that short amount of time will be expensive. Very expensive."

"Money isn't an issue," Caroline assured her, annoyed at the implication they couldn't afford the cost. "At all."

"Okay," Justine muttered, though unconvinced. "Well, would you like me to pull some things for you to try? Do you have ideas of what you'd like?"

"I want white, mermaid or fit-and-flare trumpet, and preferably chiffon or tulle," Caroline ticked off. "Our wedding is outside so I don't want anything too heavy."

Justine nodded. "Why don't you ladies help yourselves to some champagne and I'll start pulling things." She smiled and disappeared into the back.

"I don't like her," Katherine declared.

"Huh," Caroline murmured. "We have something in common."

Rebekah grinned mischievously. "You two can fight over who gets to eat her after then."

"No," Caroline snapped. "We will not being snacking on anyone today." She looked to Katherine. "Understood?"

"Fine," Katherine sighed. "God, you're all so vanilla."

"You live with Elijah," Bonnie spoke up. "He's not exactly Mr. Adventure."

"That you know of," Katherine smirked. "We don't associate with you people very often, do we?"

"By our choice," Elena grumbled as Justine returned, pushing a rolling rack.

"Caroline, if you'll join me in the fitting room," Justine requested, "we'll begin."

"Sure," Caroline agreed, handing her purse to Rebekah. She followed the woman into the room and looked through the dresses. "No. No. Maybe. Ew. Maybe. I'll try it. Seriously?"

"Well, let's start with the first 'maybe' then," Justine said, pulling the dress from its hanger. "This is a Vera Wang mermaid style of Chantilly lace."

Caroline stripped down to her underwear and strapless bra and stepped into the dress, allowing Justine to tie up the back. "I don't much like lace; it's a little outdated for me."

"I'm sorry," Justine apologized. "You just said you wanted something light for summer."

"It's fine," Caroline replied. "The dress itself is nice."

"You look lovely in it," Justine complimented her. "Would you like to show the others?"

"Yes," Caroline said.

Justine pulled back the curtain and led her back to her friends and mother. "This is dress number one."

"Oh, Caroline," Liz breathed as her daughter emerged. "It's very pretty."

"It's not awful," Rebekah amended. "But it sort of shortens your torso and it's too old-fashioned for you."

Caroline looked at her reflection in the mirror. "I don't hate it."

"Please," Katherine scoffed from her place on the couch furthest from them all. "It would be fine if you'd met and married Klaus back in the 20s in Chicago."

"Why Chicago?" Justine chuckled. "Was this a popular style dress there in the 20s?"

"I don't know," Katherine replied. "Was it, Rebekah?"

Rebekah glared at the older Petrova. "I can't say I know much at fashion trends then. I haven't studied that far back."

"Is it safe to say this isn't your dress?" Justine asked Caroline.

"Yes," Caroline decided. "It's okay but I'll know when I find the one."

Three hours later, Caroline had tried on seventeen dresses and was nowhere closer to finding the right gown for her.

Katherine, who was getting more and more impatient by the minute, stood up and snuck away to the back room. She was going to find the princess a dress and then they were going to finally eat.

"I wonder if the boys are having more luck than we are," Rebekah muttered as Caroline went back to the fitting room in defeat.

"What the hell is dove gray and how is it different from pearl gray?" Matt grumbled as he watched Elijah consult with the salesman in the tuxedo shop. "Isn't gray just gray?"

"Apparently not," Stefan shook his head. "Caroline tried to show me the difference but I didn't really see it."

"And canary yellow?" Matt went on. "Was Rebekah like this? I just had to show up for that wedding."

"Worse," Klaus spoke up. "See, Caroline is very specific but she's kind. My sister is specific but controlling and a tad bossy."

"Rebekah wanted a perfect wedding, just like Caroline does," Stefan defended his wife. "If I remember correctly, Caroline wore a particularly revealing bridesmaid dress in my wedding that you liked quite a bit."

"She chose it," Klaus remembered. He chuckled. "Come to think of it, it was particularly flimsy and easy to rip off."

Matt grimaced. "I don't need to hear all this."

Stefan patted his back. "Sorry, Matt. How's life?"

"Good," Matt answered. "The team sucked this year but I'll whip them into shape this summer."

"Right, Caroline mentioned you're coaching the football team now," Klaus recalled. "And teaching, yes?"

"Yeah," Matt nodded. "I uhh, teach history. It's weird to be in Mr. Saltzman's old room."

"Ah, Alaric," Klaus nodded. "Are you planning to be Damon's new drinking buddy, as well?"

"Damon and Elena are leaving Mystic Falls at the end of the summer," Stefan reported. "Getting too suspicious for them to not age."

"Yeah, my mom called Caroline out about it at lunch the other day," Matt added. "Said she didn't look a day over 17."

"She's not," Stefan laughed. "She hates that she didn't even make it to legal age. I didn't either but I'm less upset about it."

"You've lived for 155 years," Klaus countered. "Human age eventually becomes irrelevant."

"Do you even remember how old you were?" Matt asked.

Klaus smirked. "I was 24. Rebekah was 20 and Elijah was 28."

"Only 24, huh?" Matt mused. "I'd have guessed 30."

"30?" Klaus repeated. "I was the same age as Damon and I look much younger."

"Gentlemen?" the salesman called over to them. "Mr. Mikaelson has shown me exactly what it is you're looking for and confirmed it with the bride so we'll need to start taking measurements now." He looked to Elijah. "Your bride chose a nice color scheme."

"_My_ bride," Klaus corrected him coolly. "Elijah just happens to wear more suits than I do."

"Than anyone does," Matt whispered, following a tailor back to a fitting room.

"Where have you been?" Elena demanded of Katherine when the older vampire emerged from the back room, carrying a garment bag.

"I found Caroline's dress," Katherine stated triumphantly. She walked to the fitting room and stepped inside. "This is it."

Caroline scoffed. "How would you know?"

"Trust me," Katherine assured her. "If it isn't, Elijah and I will stay in a hotel until the wedding."

"Lazaro," Justine immediately recognized. "Organza and alencon lace but it only comes in ivory."

Katherine faced the women and stared at her, pupils dilated. "I think you can have it done in white, don't you?"

"Yes," Justine nodded robotically. "We can have it altered to be white. Shall we?" she asked Caroline.

"All right," Caroline agreed warily. "I'll try it. It is beautiful," she added, fingering the lace bodice. "I'm not big on lace but we'll see."

Katherine rejoined the others and sat down between Bonnie and Liz. "We'll be eating lunch in half an hour."

"Don't be so sure," Rebekah told her. "Caroline might hate it just to get you out of the house."

"Doubt it," Katherine muttered smugly. "I might not like her too much but I know Blondie's taste."

Moments later, Justine pushed back the curtain to reveal Caroline in Katherine's choice. "Well? Lucky number eighteen?"

"Oh, my God," Bonnie breathed. "Care, that dress is gorgeous."

"It's so you," Elena agreed.

Rebekah stood up and circled Caroline twice, eyeing the gown critically. "Elena's right. It's as if the dress were made just for you."

"Mom?" Caroline asked softly, looking to Liz.

The sheriff had tears in her eyes. "Oh, sweetie. That's absolutely your dress."

Caroline spun back to the three-way mirror. "I think so, too." She caught Katherine's eye in the reflection. "Thank you."

Katherine lifted a shoulder nonchalantly. "I'm just hungry."

Justine lifted the price tag. "This dress is $6,500. Altering it to white, in eight weeks, will add quite a bit more."

"Will you stop assuming she can't afford that?" Katherine demanded. "If you understood who she was marrying, you'd know Caroline could buy this store, fire your ass, and then burn the building, and everything inside, down to the ground just for fun."

"Katherine!" Liz scolded.

"I'm just saying," Katherine reasoned. "I don't care for her attitude."

Justine frowned. "I apologize, Miss Forbes, if that's how I've behaved. I'm just not used to seeing someone so young with such money to spend."

Caroline smiled. "It's all right. My fiancée just has a way with money that's made him very rich."

After taking her measurements, the Mystic Falls group excused themselves for lunch before assuring Justine they would return after for bridesmaid dresses and something for Liz.

"How'd you know I'd like that dress?" Caroline asked Katherine as they followed behind everyone on the sidewalk.

"I saw a picture of you in the dress you wore to your prom once and it reminded me of that," Katherine explained. "And I remembered Elijah telling me that Klaus was the one who bought your prom dress so I figured it was something you'd both like. It's sort of classic and old-Hollywood and that seems to be your style."

"Well, it's perfect," Caroline said quietly. "So really, thank you. That woman never would've brought it to me." She looked down at her hands nervously. "Katherine, do you want to be in the wedding? I could have Klaus add Damon as a groomsman if you want to be included."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Katherine shook her head. "I don't hate you like I do Elena or Rebekah but you're still only barely tolerable."

"But we're going to be quasi-family," Caroline pointed out. "You do love Elijah, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Katherine answered. "But I don't need to marry him to prove that. We're perfectly happy with the way things are in Paris. And I don't need to love his siblings and their spouses and friends either because we aren't around you enough. Couple holidays a year and that's about it. I'm content."

"Okay," Caroline replied. "But you'll be with us for eternity so I'll probably grow on you."

The rest of their time in D.C. went much more smoothly than Caroline's appointment had gone. After lunch, they returned to Bliss to find the Monique Lhuillier dress that Rebekah had selected, along with a pretty Cameron Blake dress for Liz in a soft shade of gray.

"You look beautiful, Mom," Caroline beamed as Liz stared in the mirror.

"It isn't too much?" Liz questioned. "It's certainly the nicest dress I've ever worn, apart from my own wedding dress."

"It's perfect," Caroline confirmed. "Have Justine take your measurements because you're getting it."

"Okay," Liz nodded. "Remind me to thank Klaus when I see him next."

Their driver picked them up from the bridal boutique once more at 5:30 and Caroline was exhausted.

"Could we maybe just head home?" Elena suggested. "I have an early day at the kids' home tomorrow and if we stay here for dinner, we won't get back to Mystic Falls until almost ten at least."

"Yes, just head back," Caroline informed the driver. "I'm not really in the mood for regular food right now anyways."

Klaus stood staring at the half-finished landscape in front of him. He often ended his day in the studio but for some reason, he had little inspiration for the piece. He sighed and set his paintbrush down, oblivious to the presence behind him.

"I like this one," Caroline spoke up from just behind him. "It's pretty."

He chuckled without turning to her. "I'm not really going for 'pretty' here, love."

"Well, it's what I see," she shrugged, standing beside him. "How did tux shopping go?"

"Fine," he told her. "Elijah was very precise in explaining what you wanted and he believes we found it."

"He sent pictures," she said, "and I liked everything so that's good."

"How was your day?" he asked, eyeing her in amusement. "I didn't hear from you so I assume Katerina behaved herself?"

"Katherine is actually the one who found my dress," she explained, messing with the paint on his work table. "She got a little bitchy with Elena a few times but I was able to stop it from going too far." She thought it best to leave out her asking Katherine if she wanted to be a part of the wedding; what Klaus didn't know wouldn't hurt him. "We didn't even have to compel her, though Bonnie gave a brief aneurysm on the way."

He reached over to keep her from mixing his very specifically created colors. "You know I don't like you touching this stuff, sweetheart."

"Sorry," she apologized with a smirk. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that we're home and I'm going to shower before heading to bed early. Rebekah wants to start mapping out the ceremony in the backyard tomorrow and we have to look at florists."

"Should I be involved?" he wanted to know.

"Not unless you want to be," she shook her head.

"I don't," he declared. "I feel safe leaving that to you two."

"Good," she smiled. "Did you eat? If you spend too much time in here, you sometimes forget."

Klaus couldn't help but smile softly at her concern for his well-being. "I ate plenty in Richmond. No deaths," he added quickly.

She reached over to kiss him. "I missed you today."

"And I missed you," he whispered, kissing her again.

"Goodnight," she murmured, hugging him tightly.

He smiled once more as she walked away before suddenly turning back to his painting; just like that, his inspiration had returned.

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**Hopefully you all liked this chapter. If you did, let me know. **

**But most importantly, I need your help. I'm looking for the perfect wedding song for Klaus and Caroline to dance to. It will be suggested to them by someone else so it's definitely well-thought and has to really represent what their relationship is. I have a song in my head that I'm like, 80-percent sure of but I'm interested in other suggestions if you've got something better. Also, I'm looking for ideas on what the two of them would get each other as wedding gifts. Gotta be sentimental. If you've got something for me, leave it in a review or you can PM me. I'm open to anything! As always, reviews are the best and I love reading what you all think. Thanks!**


	5. Brief Interruption

So, this isn't an actual chapter update. Sorry! But I had some requests to see Caroline's dress so I wanted to let everyone know I posted a link to it, and the bridesmaid dress, in my profile. You just have to imagine Caroline's dress in white because the photo is ivory. I'm obsessed with the dress though. As for the bridesmaid dress, I really liked the color most but the dress is pretty, too. I also wanted to announce that I have the wedding song narrowed down to two and I need help deciding between them.

"Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last

"Thank You" by Led Zeppelin

Check out the lyrics, give them a listen, however you want to do it. I just wanted to get some fan input cause who knows Klaroline better than the fans? Ha. As always, thanks for any and all help!


	6. Chapter 5

**I feel like this update took a tad longer than I wanted to and I'm still not sure I completely love this chapter but it's a lot of filler so I'll consider it acceptable. I had some requests for Kalijah and Stebekah so I started with them; I love them as couples, too, so I'll try to incorporate them more often. I've also had requests to add more Bonnie and I'll be real honest- I can't stand her. She's the only main character on the show I've absolutely never liked but for the sake of the story, I added a scene at the end that I think is necessary and I like it. (If Kol were alive, I'd have paired them and it would've made writing her a lot easier). As always, reviews and alerts of any kind are my anti-drug so take a minute and let me know what you think. I definitely try to add things people want to see so if there's something, you gotta tell me. I hate writing long A/N's so I apologize but I also wanted to add that "Turning Page" by Sleeping at Last will be the wedding song but others that were recommended will make their way in. Lots of people suggested "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran and that's natural because it's the first song they danced to but for some reason, in my head, I equate that song more to Elena and Damon than Caroline and Klaus so I just couldn't, even though I'm obsessed with that song and Ed Sheeran, in general. Keep sending ideas for wedding gifts though; the ideas I have myself are awful. Ha. Okay, I apologize for rambling. Let me know what you think. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

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"Caroline said that you're the one who found her wedding dress this afternoon," Elijah told Katherine as they prepared for bed.

"Don't make a big deal of it," she advised. "We'd been there for three hours, the consultant had no idea what she was doing, and I was starving. I did it out of purely selfish reasons."

"Really?" Elijah murmured. "It would be quite all right for you to like Caroline."

"No," Katherine denied. "She's too happy. It's irritating."

Elijah said nothing as he waited for her to climb into their bed beside him. "I've let it go for ten years, Katerina, that you make little effort with my family but if Caroline is going to be more welcoming, I'd like it if you would appreciate that gesture and do the same. I like our life in Paris but I do miss Rebekah and even Niklaus."

"What's to miss?" she scoffed, adjusting her pillow. "She's a petty bitch and he's a sociopathic murderer, _which_ people have blindly overlooked now because of his love for Caroline. He spent 500 years chasing me, making it impossible for me to have a life. He slaughtered my entire family like cattle. But I should forgive him and be friends with his wife? I don't think so."

He turned to his side so he could cup her cheek in his hand. "I'm not asking you to forgive what he's done to you but things have changed, Katerina. I love you and will always put you first but I can't be away from my family like I've been, not after everything we've been through."

She sighed and reached up to cover his hand with hers. "I'm glad I got the good Mikaelson. So for that, I will not be _so_ mean to Rebekah and I'll try with Caroline but I drawn the line at Stefan and Klaus right now."

"Okay," he agreed. "That's all I can ask for now."

Katherine snuggled into him. "I missed you today."

He wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you, as well, but it was nice to spend time with my brother."

"Ugh, she's horrible!" Rebekah cried as she threw the decorative pillows off her and Stefan's bed. "Just stomps into the back and returns with the perfect dress for Caroline? It's not fair. I'm the bloody maid of honor."

Stefan chuckled as he turned off the light in the bathroom. "I don't think Caroline is going to ask Katherine to be her maid of honor now, Bek. I just think Caroline is being Caroline. She knows Elijah is upset we've all been excluding Katherine and she's trying; it's what she does."

"It's infuriating," Rebekah grumbled, pulling her hair up into a messy bun as she climbed into the bed. "Katherine is the one who killed her. She's ruined lives. She drove a wedge between my brothers. Why should Caroline be nice to her? She doesn't deserve it."

"Does Klaus?" Stefan asked, crawling in next to her. "Caroline forgave him and is marrying him and he makes Katherine look like a saint." He saw the scowl on his wife's face. "I'm not saying I like Katherine any more than you do but I understand why Caroline does what she does; she's been my best friend for eleven years."

"As excited as I am, I can't wait for this wedding to be over so Elijah and Katherine can return to France and we can see them once a year at Christmas," Rebekah yawned as she curled into his side.

"Liar," he muttered. "I know you miss Elijah, Bek. He's your sane brother."

She laughed. "That's true. I just wish he'd lose a certain appendage. He's too good for her."

"Can't explain love," Stefan shrugged. "It just happens."

"I suppose," she sighed. "But I'm never going to like her."

"I would expect nothing less," he grinned.

Klaus was finally heading to the guest room he was staying in for the night when he heard the balcony door open inside his and Caroline's room. He stuck his head inside and spotted her outside on a chaise lounge, wrapped in a thin blanket.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, walking towards her.

"No," she sighed. "I have too much on my mind. Was I crazy to think I could plan this wedding in eight weeks?"

"No," he shook his head, sitting down beside her. "I don't know much about planning weddings but I know you. You could put together a spectacular wedding in a week, love."

She frowned. "I don't know. We have to find a caterer, taste cakes, get a DJ, pick flowers, prepare the backyard. It's a lot. I'm not sure if Rebekah and I can do all this."

"So I'll help," he offered. "I'm pretty sure it's my wedding, too."

Relief crossed her face. "You don't mind helping?"

"No," he answered, scooting up the chair to lounge with her in his arms.

They sat in silence for a long moment before she spoke again.

"If I hadn't asked, do you think you ever would've proposed to me?" she asked him.

"No," he responded honestly. "I've lived for a thousand years and have seen plenty of people madly in love without marriage, even if I thought they were mad for succumbing to weakness. But while I never considered it, I'm certainly not opposed to having you as my wife, Caroline. You're the only woman I'd ever do this for and I'm happy to do it."

She smiled at his words. "I like seeing you happy."

"As long as I have you by my side for eternity, it's what you'll always see," he assured her.

"Not always," she chided gently. "You got pretty mad at me once in New Orleans."

"You kept arguing with Marcel and didn't understand how dangerous he can be," Klaus remembered.

"He's scared enough of you that he'd never actually do anything," she pointed out.

"But I don't want you putting yourself in a situation with him where he could lose control," he explained. "He won't be able to stop himself."

"We don't even see him anymore," she interrupted. "We haven't been around Marcel in six years. I don't even know why you're worried at this point."

"I always worry," he told her quietly. "I've seen the dangers of this world, love, and I don't want you to ever be witness to them."

She curled into his side. "Good thing I'm marrying the scariest guy on the planet then, huh?"

He rolled his eyes at her inability to take him seriously. "I'm glad you find this funny."

"I don't," she denied, "but I don't want to fight about this either. We're getting married in less than two months. Despite the stress, this should be the happiest time of our lives."

"It's hard to say that though," he reasoned. "Something could happen in another thousand years that makes you happier."

"Than marrying you?" she scoffed lightly. "Debatable."

Klaus could tell their talk had relaxed her and her breathing slowed as she started to nod off. He desperately wanted to fall asleep with her there on the lounge chair. It had been four nights since they'd slept in the same bed and it was agonizing. But as much as he enjoyed holding her in his arms, he enjoyed the thrill of winning a tad more at the moment.

So he scooped her into his arms and carried inside to the bed. He covered her with the duvet and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, love."

Caroline pouted. "Goodnight, Nik."

He smirked. She only called him 'Nik' on certain occasions because she thought it was more special that way, even though she knew he preferred it. Caroline was playing dirty now.

"What time would you like me to be ready tomorrow for my part of the planning?" he asked, doing his best to ignore her not-so-subtle attempt to lure him into the bed.

She frowned, realizing he wasn't going to budge. "9:15. We're meeting the florist at 10."

"All right," he nodded. "Goodnight."

Once he was gone, Caroline groaned into her pillow in frustration. This bet was getting harder and harder every night and she knew there was no way they'd make it to their wedding without one of them caving.

"You do realize I know next-to-nothing about flowers, right?" Klaus asked the following morning as Caroline led him and Rebekah into the florist.

"Well, you at least know what you like," Caroline replied. "I know I want my bouquet to be all white roses and the girls will carry white and yellow roses. Their bouquets will be smaller than mine. Centerpieces are what I'm conflicted about. We need to integrate gray but there aren't gray flowers."

"You can have them dyed," Rebekah spoke up. "It's a ridiculous process but it works."

"No, I don't want that because it won't look natural," Caroline muttered. "Maybe we should do white and yellow centerpieces and somehow use gray? I don't know."

"That's what a florist is for, sweetheart," Klaus assured her comfortingly, placing a hand on the small of her back. "I'm sure he or she will have plenty of suggestions."

"Right," she breathed.

Initially, Caroline had worried a bit that inviting Rebekah would give the Original female reason to take control of the appointment but as it worked out, Caroline was thrilled to have her there. She was direct with the florist and made sure Caroline and Klaus knew what was being offered. After an hour at the florist and decisions about all floral arrangements, Rebekah bid the couple goodbye to meet up with Stefan for lunch with Damon.

Klaus took Caroline's hand and led her outside to the sidewalk. "That wasn't so horrible. It wouldn't be my first choice for a fun activity but I didn't mind it."

She beamed. "I'm glad you were there. Just think, if you hadn't been there, Rebekah and I would've gone with tulips instead of lilies."

He chuckled. "That was the only thing I had to say."

Caroline tightened her hold of his hand and wrapped her other hand around his arm as they walked through the town. She was perfectly content in Mystic Falls, even after nine years away, and she knew a lot if that was because of the person she was with.

Suddenly, she felt Klaus tense up. Caroline looked ahead and saw Tyler walking out of the hardware store, carrying two cans of paint.

"Please, don't," she begged, clutching his hand in desperation. "It's fine now, okay? I love you and I'm marrying you."

"I will be civil so long as he is," Klaus growled.

Tyler looked up then and spotted Caroline and Klaus approaching him; Caroline wore a bright smile, Klaus was scowling.

"Hey, Tyler," Caroline greeted him cautiously.

"Care," he nodded at her.

She looked to the paint. "Are you staying with Matt?"

"Yeah," he confirmed. "The paint in the foyer is cracking so I said I'd take care of it while I'm here."

"How long are you staying?" she asked. "At least until the wedding, right? It's June 30th."

Tyler eyed Klaus. "Uh, yeah, I guess so. I mean, if you want me there."

"I do!" Caroline assured him. "_We_ do," she corrected herself.

"No, actually, _we_ don't, but I'm overruled on this one," Klaus spoke up.

"I didn't ask to come," Tyler told him.

Klaus stepped to stand in front of him. "Then don't."

"You know, under most circumstances, I would skip it but to piss you off, I'll be there, right in the front row," Tyler threatened.

"Good," Klaus replied, a menacing tone in his voice. "That means you'll have the best view of me marrying the girl you once loved."

Caroline could see the tension mounting so she grabbed Klaus' arm and without a word, dragged him away down the sidewalk. When they reached his car near the florist, she climbed in angrily and fumed the entire way back to the house.

"You're mad," he noticed as they walked into the Mikaelson foyer.

"Mad?" she snapped, whipping around to face him. "No, Klaus, I'm not mad, I'm furious! You embarrassed me back there with him. You killed his mother. You ran him out of town and broke us up. And now, ten years later, I'm marrying _you_ and you're still asserting your alpha male status over him? It's pathetic. Grow up, Klaus. I love you and I'm spending forever with you but I'm going to be friends with Tyler and if you can't accept that, then we've got bigger problems."

Before Klaus could respond, she flashed upstairs and slammed the door to their bedroom.

"That didn't sound good," Katherine said as she emerged from Elijah's study. "Trouble in paradise?"

"None of your business, Katerina," he replied, heading towards his studio.

She followed. "Maybe I can help? What did you do?"

"I proved, once and for all, that I'm the alpha male and Tyler Lockwood is nothing but a small town boy with too much testosterone and not enough common sense," Klaus said.

Katherine laughed. "You really are an idiot, you know that?"

"Aren't you supposed to be afraid of me?" he demanded.

"Not anymore," she shook her head. "Elijah would never let you hurt me and Caroline would only get angrier at you if you tried. Now, about this situation with Tyler. Can you understand why she's upset?"

"Why do you care?" he wanted to know. "You've made it your life's mission to make me and everyone around me, save for Elijah, completely miserable."

"Well, as it turns out, Elijah doesn't hate being around you all like I do so I said I would attempt to be nicer to Blondie," Katherine explained. "I don't care if you're miserable for all time because you deserve that but she loves you for some unknown reason so consider this me helping her. Answer my question: do you understand why she's upset about what you did with Tyler?"

He sighed and set his paintbrush down, knowing she wouldn't go away until he played along. "Yes, I understand. I understand that she wants to be friends with a boy whose love for her kept her from being with me much sooner than she should've been."

"Oh, God," she rolled her eyes. "You're a real piece of work, Klaus. I have no idea why someone so perky and pleasant likes you, let alone wants to marry you."

"I know a Klaus that no one else does," Caroline spoke up from behind her. "He's stubborn and temperamental and slightly sociopathic but he can also be sweet and funny and..._other_ things." She eyed him pointedly. "But he messed up today and while I appreciate your unexpected efforts, Katherine, Klaus has to fix this on his own."

"Can I watch?" Katherine asked.

"No," Caroline denied, "but you can listen from Elijah's study if you want."

Katherine just chuckled as she flashed away.

Caroline stepped into the room. "He didn't deserve that today. You've taken enough from him already."

"So you've told me," Klaus murmured. "I don't like Tyler Lockwood and I never will. If you, however, wish to be his friend, I will not stop you from that. But I'm also not going to invite him over for tea parties and backyard barbecues."

"You don't have to," Caroline scoffed. "He lives out west now, Klaus. This is his first time being home in ten years and he has to have you rub it in that you what, got the girl? You're happy now so why can't he be?"

"It's a character flaw," he shrugged in defense. "You know exactly who I am and exactly how I feel about him, Caroline, so why would you expect any differently?"

"Because I expect more of you!" she cried. "Is that so wrong? After ten years together—and an implied eternity—I expect you to behave like a man, not a teenage boy."

"Stop defending him!" Klaus yelled. "Do you know how that makes me feel? I fought for you when he gave up on your relationship and yet, you still take his side over this. Part of me wonders if I'll ever live up to the pedestal you had him on. I wonder if he had come back sooner, before I'd been given the opportunity to show you that side to me that only you know, if we would even be standing here today. Will you ever truly accept who I am?"

"Klaus," she breathed, stepping towards him, her anger dissipating at this sight of him. "You can't think I ever compare you to Tyler. You're apples and oranges. Was I in love with him? Yes, once upon a time, I was. But the love I felt for him is nothing compared to the love I feel for you. I don't hold Tyler on a pedestal but he's one of my oldest friends and I want him to be happy." She took his hand. "As for whether or not I think we would be standing here if Tyler had come back sooner, I'm not sure. We might be in Paris or Rome or Tokyo. I always knew, deep down, that I would eventually take you up on your offer to see the world someday, regardless of Tyler's presence in my life. So we might not be at the marriage stage yet but we'd be together; that I know for sure." She raised an eyebrow. "But no more competing with Tyler. It's stupid and pointless, Nik, because I'm going to marry you on June 30th and that's that."

"As long as that remains true, then nothing else matters," he replied, reaching up to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "I am sorry if I upset you today."

"I know," she nodded. "I know that's never your intent but it happens and I don't like it. I haven't spent ten years working on your impulsive temper for you to relapse like this."

"_My _impulsive temper?" he smirked, turning her around so her backside was pressed to him. "If I recall correctly, Rebekah had to stop you from snapping Camille's neck once in New Orleans."

"She was trying to come between us," Caroline reminded him. "I didn't care for that."

"You know I'd never let anyone come between us," he whispered in her ear. "Not after it took me so long to win your affections."

"So long?" she repeated. "It took you just over a year. That's nothing, especially considering you're immortal."

"It's a very long time when you're used to getting what you want, when you want it," he shrugged casually.

Caroline made a face. "You and that massive ego. Isn't it exhausting?"

"I can think of something a bit more fun that could exhaust me," he grinned wolfishly.

"I bet you can," she rolled her eyes, backing away from him. "As soon as Rebekah gets here, we're blocking off the backyard for the ceremony. I was thinking the reception could be in the ballroom."

"Okay," Klaus agreed.

"Now, what should we do about who will actually marry us?" she wondered. "I'm not religious and the only god you believe in is yourself so I don't know that a pastor is the best idea. Justice of the peace?"

"That's up to you, love," he answered. "I don't care who marries us."

"We also have to figure out what we're going to do about explaining Elena and Katherine," she suddenly realized. "It was easy to get away with in D.C., but it won't be here. People know Elena doesn't have a twin." She frowned. "We should've just done this in London and invited only the necessary people over."

"No," Klaus shook his head. "You deserve a beautiful wedding in your hometown and we will find ways around our obstacles. Katherine will alter her appearance on that day so not to draw too much attention to their similarities. Perhaps we can pass her off as a cousin?"

"An unknown Gilbert cousin?" Caroline scoffed. "Please. The Gilbert's are royalty in this town, just like the Lockwood's, in terms of Founding Families. Maybe Bonnie can work a little magic or something?"

"I'm sure," Klaus nodded.

"Speaking of Bonnie," Caroline went on, "if you refuse to make much effort with Tyler, I would like you to talk to her. She's one of my oldest friends and I hate that you can barely stand to be around each other."

"That is of her volition," he reminded his fiancée. "The Bennett witch does not like me for the destruction I caused when I first came to town and she's very stubborn." He noticed the look on Caroline's face. "But I will consider speaking to her if that's what you want."

"It is," she grinned triumphantly.

"I do have a request of you, as well," he went on as she started to leave the room. "I would like you to make the call to New Orleans to invite our friends there."

"Okay," she shrugged. "Marcel and Sophie and Davina, I assume? I'll call them tonight."

"Yes, the three of them," he confirmed, "and Camille, of course."

Caroline, who'd turned away from him, slowly spun back around. "What?"

"I don't have the issues with Camille that you do so I'd like to invite her," he smiled, knowing he had her. "You get to invite Tyler so I get to invite Camille."

"You're only doing this to piss me off," she said knowingly.

"Indeed," he chuckled. "But it's working so I'd say mission accomplished."

Caroline looked at him with a gleam in her eye before flashing to tackle him to the ground. She straddled him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "I'll invite her if that's what you want but you're gonna owe me so big."

He ran his hands up her thighs tauntingly. "I can think of one way to repay you right now."

"Tempting," she breathed, nibbling on his earlobe, "but I have something else in mind."

Twenty minutes later, Klaus followed Caroline into the Grill and spotted Bonnie sitting at a table alone. "I said I'd consider this."

"Oh, I considered it for you and you agreed," Caroline replied smugly. "Now, she's expecting me and I'm never late so hurry along. I'll be back at the house with Rebekah if you need me." She kissed his cheek and left the restaurant before he could protest.

With a defeated sigh, Klaus walked to Bonnie's booth and sat down across from her.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded. "Where's Caroline?"

"Caroline seems to believe you and I have some things to discuss," he explained, leaning back in the booth. "Apparently she would like for us to get along."

"Never gonna happen," Bonnie denied. "I know that she loves you and you make her happy but I'm never going to like you. I will just respect her decision to marry you."

"I can appreciate that," he nodded. "I know that my past actions were not exactly pleasant for you. I know that I did things that put you in grave danger multiple times and for that, I apologize." He sighed. "Bonnie, I'll be honest and tell you that I don't care if we're never friends because I think that you're judgmental and condescending but Caroline wants us to at least be civil so for her, I will do whatever it takes for you to not see me as a complete monster. Her happiness is the most important thing to me so I'll go above and beyond my own desires for her."

"Why Caroline?" Bonnie asked. "You could essentially have any girl in the world so why a small town girl from Mystic Falls?"

"I didn't intend for it to happen," he assured her. "I came here to sacrifice Elena and use her blood to make my hybrids. At first, Caroline was just another pretty blonde I thought I might pass time with, but as I got to know her, I started to see that she was so much more than that. She's beautiful, of course, but warm and strong and fiercely loyal. She's a calming force for anyone around her and she can make even the darkest of creatures see the light. Caroline certainly makes me a better person, whether I wanted her to or not. Look at what she did for you. No offense but both Stefan and I were going to let those twelve witches kill you in favor of ruining Silas' chances to open the gate to the Other Side but without a second thought, Caroline completed the triangle to save your life. There are days I wake up with her next to me and worry that she'll leave because I don't deserve her but then night falls and she's there to sleep beside me once more." He looked her in the eyes. "I owe you my life, you know. I was on the brink of death when you came along and performed the spell to save me from Silas' stake. I will never forget that, Bonnie. I am sorry for the pain I've caused you and I hope someday you can believe that. But know this, I love Caroline and I will always, _always_ put her first. You've always been a good friend to her so I'm sure you can at least respect that."

Bonnie was quiet for a long time as she turned over his words. The Klaus she remembered was cold and calculating. Everything was done with purpose and that purpose was usually to hurt others for his personal gain. But now, sitting here across from him, the Klaus she saw was different. There was still a determination in his eyes that surely made him as dangerous as ever but also a softness that was no doubt of Caroline's doing; that was the effect she had on others. Klaus was and always would be a monster of epic proportions but maybe having Caroline with him for eternity would curb his psychotic tendencies.

"All right," Bonnie finally spoke up. "I can see that you've changed; I sense it. Caroline has been good for you and I suppose you've been good for her, too. And that's why I saved your life ten years ago. She loved you then and while she couldn't voice it, she couldn't hide it either. I wanted her to be happy and if that was going to be with you, you couldn't exactly be dead for it, could you?"

He chuckled. "No, I suppose not. But thank you, nonetheless."

"Again, I did it for her, not you," Bonnie reminded him, "but if you happen to benefit from that, so be it. I love Caroline and she loves you so I guess that means I have to at least accept you because I won't be around forever like you two will. I have to trust that she'll be taken care of and I'm finally beginning to believe that."

A silence settled over them as a waitress approached the table. "Are you ready to order?"

Two hours later, Caroline was just opening the door to the Grill when Klaus and Bonnie emerged, both lightly laughing at something.

"What's all this?" she wondered.

"The Bennett witch and I have come to an understanding," Klaus explained.

"Yes," Bonnie confirmed, offering him her hand. "Klaus, it's been almost a pleasure but I have to get back to the office. Care, I'll call you later."

Caroline watched in confusion as her friend walked away to her car. "Seriously? I would've been happy if you both made it out alive and you come out all..._chummy_?"

"No," Klaus denied, taking her hand in his, "Bonnie and I will never be 'chums,' but we have one goal in common and we can get along on that alone."

"What goal?" she scoffed.

"Your eternal happiness," he answered quietly.

Caroline blushed and kissed him before laughing once. "God, wouldn't life be so much better if that was everyone's goal?"


	7. Chapter 6

**First legit time jump in the story. I know it might've been fun to see all the planning and craziness but it's so much filler stuff that I just skipped ahead. Lots of people assumed that mentioning Camille last chapter would mean something and you were right; she's around. I didn't really adjust much to incorporate what happened in ep 4x20 because this is AU so it doesn't really matter.**** This chapter sort of leads into the bachelor/bachelorette parties and from there, probably only three chapters left? I'm not quite sure yet but it won't be much longer. As always, I love reading what you think so let me know. Thanks!  
**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

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Klaus watched in amusement from his studio as Caroline, Rebekah, Elena, Bonnie, and-to his surprise-Katherine hurried around the backyard, preparing everything for the wedding. June 30th was only a week away and there was still so much to be done. When he'd offered to help, however, the girls had simply turned him away, telling him to focus instead on his vows.

"Uh, Klaus, you have a visitor," Stefan said, sticking his head into the room.

"I do?" Klaus replied, wiping the acrylic paint off his hands as he headed for the foyer. "Who?"

"Me."

Knowing that voice, his head shot up quickly. "Camille, what are you doing here? The wedding isn't for another week."

"Well, I thought I'd come early, see this Mystic Falls that Caroline always spoke so highly of," the New Orleans resident explained, looking around. "Your house is beautiful."

Klaus eyed her quickly. She looked much the same, though older, and he knew Caroline would not like seeing her so soon.

"Well, we're very busy this week, which I'm sure you understand, but I'd be happy to have Marcel come up early to keep you company," he offered her.

"Oh, I think I'll find ways to occupy myself," Camille assured him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Now, come on, give me a tour."

Outside, Caroline looked in the direction of the house. "Did you guys hear that?"

"A girl," Katherine confirmed. "But who?"

"No idea," Rebekah shook her head. "We aren't expecting anyone."

Caroline listened closely as the female voice inside spoke again. "Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me." She dropped the chair she'd been carrying and flashed up to the doors.

"This studio is much bigger than the one you had in New Orleans," Camille said to Klaus as he showed her around the house. "More light, too."

"Yes, it was the room I spent the most time on when I built the house more than ten years ago," he remembered.

"I like it," she grinned, stopping in front of a painting that was only half-complete. "What's this going to be?"

"Caroline's wedding gift," he answered. "But don't tell; I've kept it under cover for weeks now."

Camille frowned at mention of the blonde vampire. "Where is the blushing bride?"

"Out back with my sister and friends, preparing the ceremony space," he replied. "Would you like to say hello?"

"I think we both know the answer to that question," Camille replied, turning back to him.

"Too bad."

Camille's quickly looked in the direction the voice had come from and saw Caroline standing just behind her. Klaus just smirked.

"What are you doing here, Camille?" Caroline asked, stepping into the room. "I specifically told you and the rest of our New Orleans guests to come in Friday night."

"Well, you always talked this town up so much so I thought I'd come early and check it out," Camille explained nervously. "I am a psychologist, after all. I've spent my adult life studying the abnormal and Mystic Falls is a hotbed for it."

"Ahh, yes, your adult life," Caroline repeated. "Because you are an adult now. And someday, you'll be middle aged and then a senior citizen and then six feet under."

He knew it was wrong but seeing Caroline this way, strong and intimidating, was a definite turn-on. She often teased him about being the alpha male but in her interactions with Camille, Caroline was certainly his equal in that aspect.

"I didn't come to stir up trouble," Camille told Caroline.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did. You wouldn't have come a full week early if you hadn't. What is it you thought you'd accomplish, Camille? You'd show up, old and aging, and he would suddenly forget that he's been in love with me for eleven years? Please. Why don't you do us all a favor and find some nice, boring accountant to settle down with?"

"Okay, sweetheart, that's enough," Klaus murmured, standing directly behind his fiancée. "You should head back outside to finish setting up."

"No need," Katherine spoke from the doorframe. "We're finished."

"Katherine," Camille mumbled, suddenly feeling cornered.

"Camille," Katherine nodded. "You're looking...old."

"I'm thirty!" Camille cried. "How is that old?"

"Well, I'm seventeen, Kat is nineteen, and Klaus is twenty-four," Caroline shrugged. "And we always will be while you continue to age until you die."

"I could've turned, you know," Camille interrupted. "Marcel offered once, just before you all came to New Orleans but I refused; I didn't want that life. But I bet you wouldn't be so confident if I were a vampire, too, would you?"

"Why?" Klaus asked her, addressing her for the first time since Caroline had joined them. "Do you think that if you had been a vampire, I might've shown more interest? Camille, you were lovely and I enjoyed your friendly company, but you being human had nothing to do with me rejecting your advances. It took me over a thousand years to fall in love and I'm not about to let her go."

Caroline smirked triumphantly. "Now, why don't you find a hotel in Richmond and go until the wedding?"

Camille looked between the three of them before leaving the room silently.

"I always wondered what it would take to get on your bad side and now I know," Katherine chuckled as she backed out of the room, too. "Just throw myself at Klaus."

Klaus raised an eyebrow as Caroline faced him. "That was entertaining."

"Did you know she was coming early?" she demanded.

"Of course not," he denied.

"Are you sure?" she asked, stepping towards him. "Is this your way of getting back at me for inviting Tyler and running into him around town?"

"No," he said once more. "Caroline, I did not send for her early. Why would I do that?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I'm just stressing out, I guess. We only have a week and I still feel like there's so much to do."

He placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "From what I understand, there really isn't. If there was, Rebekah would be running around, more frantic than you are, and she's fine. You're just worked up about our unexpected guest."

Her eyes darkened again at mention of Camille. "I hate her. I hate her stupid French name. I hate that she's a psychologist and thinks she can analyze anyone. I hate that her hair is the color of dirty dishwater and she thinks it looks good. But most of all, I hate that she likes you so much."

"Why? Are people not allowed to like me?" he teased.

"The way she does?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "No, only me."

"I allow Tyler to like you," he reminded her.

"He does not," she scoffed. "Not anymore. You're just always going to hate him."

"And you won't always hate Camille?" he mused.

"Of course I will," she smirked. "But she'll die before I'd ever consider forgiving her. Tyler won't."

"How wonderful," he deadpanned.

"Can you two break apart for like, ten minutes so we can confirm plans for tonight?" Stefan asked as he walked into the studio.

"Let's do this in the parlor," Klaus suggested. He didn't like people being in his workspace; he even tried to keep Caroline out usually.

When they reached the parlor, they found the rest of the family sitting around, along with Elena and Bonnie.

"I just need to know what time I need to be back here for the bachelorette party," Bonnie explained. "I agreed to meet a patient for an emergency session at four."

"Dinner reservations are for seven-thirty," Rebekah told her. "But that's in Richmond so we're leaving no later than six-thirty."

Bonnie nodded. "I'll be here by six-fifteen." She picked up her purse. "I'll see you guys then."

"I'm gonna head out, too," Elena added. "Damon wants to start planning our move so we have to decide where we want to go." She waved to them once more and followed after Bonnie.

"No," Klaus and Rebekah warned at the same time once Elena was gone.

"What?" Caroline demanded, locking eyes with Stefan.

"You're both about to ask if Elena and Damon can join us in London," Klaus filled in. "I'd rather they not."

"I second that opinion," Rebekah nodded without looking up from her phone.

"Just for a little while," Stefan reasoned. "It's been sort of nice spending time with my brother when we don't hate each other. And Elena is one of Care's best friends. You should do it for her."

"_You're_ her best friend," Klaus stated.

"But I miss her," Caroline admitted. "I got very little time with Elena after she turned her humanity back on."

"Don't, Nik," Rebekah said quickly. "Don't let her take advantage."

"Oh, shut up," Caroline laughed once. "You wouldn't care if it was just Damon coming."

"You're right," Rebekah agreed. "I don't mind Damon. But Elena is whiny and annoying."

"People could say the same for you," Katherine muttered. "And they'd be right."

Rebekah glared at her. "No one asked you."

"Just let them come until Christmas," Caroline requested. "That's only six months."

Klaus frowned and looked at Elijah. "A little help, brother?"

Elijah continued reading his book. "It doesn't pertain to us, Niklaus. We're returning to Paris next Sunday."

Caroline sat down beside Klaus on the couch. "Please, Nik? You can handle six months of Damon and Elena. That house is so big, you won't even have to see them if you don't want to. Please?"

"Don't think batting your eyelashes will work in your favor here, sweetheart," he told her.

"Fine," she pouted, standing back up. "I'm going to take a shower then."

"God, you're an imbecile," Rebekah grumbled at her brother as Caroline stomped up the stairs. "There's no way in bloody hell you won't give her what she wants."

Klaus lifted a shoulder and looked at the fireplace. "I like to make her happy, just as she does for me."

Rebekah sighed. "I know." She looked up at her husband and couldn't help but smile. "Just until Christmas."

"Thank you," he smiled back at her.

"Yeah, thanks, Bek!" Caroline yelled from her and Klaus' room.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "One Salvatore is bad enough but both of them together? I'd rather take off my daylight bracelet and stand on South Beach for half an hour."

"That can be arranged," Klaus assured her.

"You and your empty threats," Katherine shook her head. "I've befriended your girl now, Klaus. And you wouldn't kill one of her friends, would you?"

"I wouldn't, no," he denied, "but I have plenty of friends who would. You're not very well-liked, Katerina. The only reason you live now is because of Elijah's misguided love for you."

"Leave her alone!" Caroline called down.

Katherine laughed softly and stood up. "I think I'll go take a swim. Nice chatting with you."

When she was gone, Rebekah looked to her oldest brother. "I don't know what you see in her."

Elijah only chuckled. "Then I suppose it's a good thing you don't have to."

Rebekah made a face. "How mature."

Klaus glanced at Stefan. "You mentioned discussing our plans for the evening."

"Yes," Stefan remembered. "Damon thinks we should go into Richmond, too. The only actual bar here is the Grill and it's not really suitable for a bachelor party."

"So Richmond?" Klaus mused. "I suppose it would give us more variety. All right."

"Do we want to do dinner, as well?" Elijah wondered.

"Probably not," Klaus shook his head. "I don't want to put on the pretense of needing human food this evening."

"Caroline won't like it if you go on a killing spree in Richmond, Nik," Rebekah pointed out.

"That isn't my intent," Klaus denied, "but as it is my bachelor party, I would like fresh blood from the vein. Stefan won't let anyone die."

"Damon probably knows people in the city who will let you do it willingly," Stefan spoke up. "He likes to keep up with the idiots around here."

Klaus laughed once. "Because he is one?"

"Definitely," Rebekah seconded.

"He's not as horrible as he used to be," Stefan defended his brother.

"Yes, he is," Klaus told him. "You just don't see it anymore because you're no longer fighting over Elena."

Rebekah smirked. "Thank God for that."

"Okay, get your Damon and Elena digs in now cause in a few weeks, they'll be living with us and you'll have to be more pleasant," Stefan said.

"I'll accommodate them because you and Caroline asked politely," Klaus explained. "The house there has 52 rooms so I can go weeks without seeing them if I choose. And that's exactly what I plan to do," he declared, standing up. "Stefan, Elijah, plan to leave around nine." He was gone from the room before they could respond.

Caroline stepped out of the bathroom, freshly showered, and found Klaus lounging on the bed, sketch pad in hand. "What are you doing?"

"Sketching," he smirked without looking up. "I came up to tell you that Rebekah gave in and agreed to let Damon and Elena join us in London until the holidays so it seems I've been overruled."

Caroline lit up as she tightened the knot on her fluffy, white robe. "So Elena is coming to live with us for a while?"

"So it seems," he sighed.

She climbed into the bed and leaned against him while he drew. "Thank you."

"We haven't talked much about the bet in a while," he stated.

"You're right," she realized. "I've been so stressed by all the wedding stuff that I've fallen asleep over plans nearly every night. And you haven't tried tempting me in a while. Why?"

"I know you've been worked up and I didn't want to irritate you," he replied.

She cuddled further into him and ran her foot up and down his ankle. "I miss this."

Klaus set his sketching aside and wrapped his arms around her. "I do, too. In one week and one day, we'll have two full weeks of just this on our honeymoon."

"Mm," she hummed in contentment, "on a private beach somewhere."

"Well, that's still to be determined," he chuckled.

"But if we go on a stupid museum tour, we'll be around people all the time. The best part of a private beach is the privacy part," she whispered in his ear.

"So there's no one around to hear me scream?" he joked.

She rolled over to straddle him. "Think about it for just a second. Close your eyes." She waited until he did as told before continuing huskily. "We wake up early and have breakfast before spending the day by the water; even though I don't need it, I'd let you rub sunscreen on my shoulders." She emphasizes this point by placing his hands inside her robe on her soft shoulders. "And then you could sketch me for a while as I lounge around." At this, his hands travel down her body to rest on her thighs as they tighten around his torso. "Maybe we'd take a swim at some point and I'd let you get me out of the seriously tiny bikini I'd be wearing before you carry me back to the sand and have your way with me, knowing no one is around to see." Caroline leaned forward to press gentle kisses on his stubbly jaw. "Just me and you, husband and wife, total bliss."

Klaus growled before capturing her lips with his. "Now how can I deny that?" he asked between kisses.

"Be awfully hard to," she smirked.

In a flash, he flipped them and pressed down on top of her. "All right, fine, you win. We'll go to a private beach and I will have my way with you."

"Please do," she panted, completely turned on in the moment.

He ran his hand up her leg slowly, taunting her. "But I still want to win the bet, love."

"Why?" she breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "To prove you're forever the big, bad alpha hybrid?"

"Of course," he confirmed. "You know, you certainly displayed similar characteristics with Camille today."

Caroline frowned and pushed him away. "And I'm over this. Why bring her up? She ruins perfectly good moments."

"It was sexy," Klaus assured her. "That was the main reason I liked having her around in New Orleans. You're always so alpha female in her presence."

"It's not about being the alpha female," she denied. "It's about letting her know that you're mine and she needs to stay away. I didn't like sharing candy at recess when I was six and I certainly don't like sharing your attention."

"Sweetheart, we could be in the middle of a war and you'd still have my full attention," he told her, pulling her back to him. "You're the only person in the entire world I'd ever take the white oak stake for."

"Stop," she interrupted him. "You know I don't like to talk about that."

"Okay," he nodded, changing the subject. "What do you ladies have planned for your after-dinner activities?"

"No idea," she admitted. "I told Rebekah to plan everything. Maybe a couple bars? Or a strip club? Are you all going to a strip club? I wouldn't mind if you did."

Klaus simply laughed. "Can you imagine Elijah in a gentleman's club? And while you might be accepting, do you think Rebekah would be? Or even Katerina?"

Caroline giggled at the mental image of Rebekah and Katherine finding out the guys went to a strip club. "No, I guess not. Is it just you, Stefan, Elijah, Damon, and Matt?"

"I believe so," he said.

"Well, I hope you have fun," she yawned. "What time is it? I think I'll take a nap before I get ready."

Klaus looked over at the clock on the bedside table. "It's 3:45." When he got no response, he looked down to see her sleeping peacefully, curled as close as possible into his side.

Despite his previous statement just moments before, Klaus sighed and settled in beside her before letting sleep overcome him, as well, thus giving Caroline the victory in their bet. For as much as he liked winning and for as well as he'd persevered so far, there was nothing quite like sleeping beside the perfect blonde angel and he was tired of missing it.

When Klaus woke up two hours later, Caroline was straddling him again, a brilliant smile on her face.

"I win."

He laughed sleepily. "Yes, I suppose so. Congratulations, love."

"I'm sure you think that since I've won that I'll now give in and give you what you want but we've held off this long so I figure, what's another week?" she smirked. "I'm just happy that I'll come home tonight and you'll sleep in the same bed as me."

"Maybe," he shrugged noncommittally.

Caroline gasped. "You'll totally be in here and you know it! This bed is divine and that guest room bed is awful."

"And you don't like having things dangled in front of you and taken away," he added knowingly.

"That, too," she grinned. "Come on, it's almost six so you have to get out so I can get ready. If we don't walk out the door by six-thirty, your sister will kill me."

Though he knew it was just a figure of speech, Klaus didn't even like jokes about Caroline dying. But he crawled out of the king-sized bed and walked to the door.

"Hey!" Caroline called to him.

Klaus looked back at her as she headed to the bathroom. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I love you," she smiled.

"And I you," he replied softly, leaving the room.

"Do you ever wonder what the thousands of supernatural beings around the world who tremble at the sound of your name would do or say if they ever saw how completely whipped you were by Blondie?"

Klaus froze at the sound of Damon Salvatore as he descended the stairs moments later.

"I mean, you're supposed to be the big, bad Original Hybrid, the scariest man on earth and yet, you're putty in the hands of a perky, blonde toddler," Damon went on.

Klaus turned to the elder Salvatore brother. "I let you live after I found out what you did to Caroline in the past and I agreed to let you and the doppelgänger stay in my home in London until Christmas but don't mistake those acts as kindness. I did both to appease Caroline."

Damon made a face. "What makes you think we want to live in your house?"

"If you don't want to, so be it," Klaus replied, walking past Damon, "but I'm sure Elena would like spending the time with Caroline."

Damon opened his mouth to reply but shut it quickly, knowing the hybrid was right. Elena talked often of how she missed her blonde friend and if he was being honest with himself, he didn't hate reconciling with his brother.

"I thought as much," Klaus chuckled as he went to his studio and shut the door behind him.

At just about six-thirty, Caroline emerged from their bedroom, ready to go. She'd put on a lacy white minidress, black stilettos, and had curled her hair and applied her makeup to perfection.

"Wow," Katherine murmured as Caroline descended the stairs to her awaiting friends. "Nice dress."

"Thank you," Caroline accepted. "You all look nice, too."

"The driver is here," Rebekah announced impatiently, snapping her clutch closed. "Boys, we're leaving!"

From what seemed like the four corners of the mansion, Klaus, Stefan, Elijah, and Damon emerged to say goodbye.

"Don't stress tonight," Stefan advised his wife, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. "Just relax and have fun."

Rebekah smirked. "I can do that."

"Can you?" he teased, leaning down to kiss her softly. "Be pleasant and be nice."

"I will try," Rebekah said. "That's all I can promise with Katherine and Elena around."

"That's still so weird," Elena muttered as she and Damon watched Stefan and Rebekah. "And now we're going to live with it for six months."

"We don't have to," he denied.

Elena eyed him. "Yes, we do. I miss Caroline and Stefan so I'll put up with Klaus, Rebekah, and Katherine. And you will, too. Now, don't kill anyone tonight, please. I understand you'll want to drink from the vein but show some restraint; it doesn't take much to send Stefan over the cliff."

"Scout's honor," he joked as she pressed a kiss to his lips. "Don't spend too much at the strip club now. I'd like to keep buying my expensive bourbon."

Elena just rolled her eyes and shoved him away.

"I hate having to pretend we're sisters," Katherine grumbled to Elijah, referring to Elena. "It's bad enough she's a distant descendant but twins? It's insulting to let people think our genetic makeup is identical."

Elijah placed his hands gently on her shoulders. "It's only for a bit longer. And think, at the wedding next week, you'll get to be in costume so you won't look alike. That will be fun for you."

"More like it'll be fun for you," she corrected, snaking her arms around his neck. "It's like playing dress-up."

Elijah laughed. "If you think I would rather have a stranger in my bed at night than you, you're mistaken, Katerina."

"We'll see about that," she murmured, backing away from him slowly to meet Elena, Bonnie, and Rebekah at the door.

"Don't find us tonight," Caroline told Klaus. "Bachelor and bachelorette parties are meant to be separate."

"All right," he sighed. "But what if you're being harassed by a drunken college boy?"

She smiled. "You're so cute when you worry. But if that happens, I have three very capable vampires with me and a witch who could burn the bar down with the blink of an eye. You go, have fun, and be waiting in bed for me when I get home."

Klaus kissed her. "Have a good time, love."

"I will," she whispered, walking away from him. "Stefan, if any girls throw themselves at him, take care of it," she added without looking at her best friend.

"Will do," he grinned.

"A limo?" Katherine scoffed as the girls made their way outside. "How tacky."

"Like that top you're wearing?" Rebekah shot back.

"Not tonight," Caroline declared. "All I want is a memorable bachelorette party with my friends so if any of you think you won't be able to abide by that rule, back out now." When the other four remained silent, Caroline beamed. "Good. Now, let's go."

The ride to Richmond and dinner once there were pleasant enough. A tad awkward at times but Caroline was a pro at filling the silence so it never got too uncomfortable.

"There's a bar a couple blocks over that seems worth checking out," Rebekah reported after she'd paid the bill (with her favorite brother's credit card, of course). "It's called Fanny's."

"I know it," Bonnie nodded. "It's nice."

Caroline looked to her hometown friend. "Then lead the way, Bon."

The bar itself was nice. Two floors, with a dance area on the first level and more privacy on the second, Caroline liked the venue. It was swanky without being too trendy and once she and the other three vampires had compelled their ways inside, she smiled.

"This place is incredible," she gushed.

Something over her shoulder caught Katherine's eye. "I think that's all about to go downhill very quickly."

Caroline spun and as she zoned in on what Katherine had spotted, she felt her entire body start to shake with rage.

"Camille."

* * *

**I've noticed around the site that a lot of people are wildly unhappy/angry/in full-on rage about what happened in the backdoor pilot and I gotta say, I don't get it. It's one episode and it's the generic pilot at that. I don't like the baby storyline much either but you can't assume it's going to be total crap by one episode. I watch A LOT of TV and have seen some really fantastic shows come from really bad pilots (Parks and Recreation immediately comes to mind). I would advise people not to judge so soon. There's been so much talk of crossover between the shows that jumping to the conclusion that this is all the end for "Klaroline" seems a tad rash. I don't think they'd build us up for a season and a half to let it fall apart before anything ever really happens. The shows are filming on neighboring sets; wouldn't be too hard for characters to make appearances on either show. Before you declare The Originals to be the worst thing to ever happen to television, give it a chance to develop. **

**Okay, I'll step down from my soapbox now. Sorry. **


	8. Chapter 7

**Oh, my God, you have my absolute permission to hate me. When I started this story, I wrote the first six chapters in a month. It took me that long to write this one chapter. I feel awful. And the last chapter-the wedding-will take probably as long to write because there's so much I want to happen that it will probably be pretty long. So I apologize for the delay of it in advance. But hopefully you're still reading and reviewing and liking it. I've been so motivated by your kind words so please, continue to leave your thoughts. And definitely let me know what you want to see in the final chapter at the wedding.**** As always, THANK YOU!  
**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"Don't do anything you'll regret," Rebekah warned Caroline, standing directly behind her soon-to-be in-law. "There are a lot of people here, you'll cause a scene."

Caroline watched as the former bartender laughed at the bar with some locals. "There are four of us; we'd have everyone compelled in minutes and Bonnie could block the exits."

"Klaus would retaliate," Katherine spoke up. "He'd get mad at you for acting on jealous emotion and while I'd be happy to see Camille lying in a pool of her own blood, your pal Lockwood wouldn't make it to see daylight."

"He wouldn't hurt me like that," Caroline shook her head. "Tyler means more to me than Camille means to him. She doesn't mean anything to him! Inviting her was just to get a rise out of me."

Elena leaned in to Bonnie. "Who's Camille?"

Caroline whipped around to her Mystic Falls friends. "Camille is the old lady at the bar."

"Old lady?" Bonnie scoffed. "She can't be more than 30? I'm 28 now, Caroline. Am I old?"

"No!" Caroline cried. "You're beautiful and have aged well. Camille has aged like a tramp."

"How do tramps age?" Katherine smirked.

"Shut up, Katherine," Rebekah snapped.

"How do you know her?" Elena wondered, eyeing Camille once more.

"She was a bartender when we were in New Orleans," Caroline explained. "Camille was working through college and was introduced as a friend of Marcel's when we got there. I assumed that meant they were a thing but I was wrong because she started to throw herself at Klaus."

"Ah," Elena nodded knowingly. "And you didn't like that."

"Why would I?" Caroline roared. "At that point, we'd only been together for a year and I was still a tad insecure. He's the most powerful creature in the world and has been around for over a thousand years. But I got over that pretty quickly. Camille, however, didn't seem to care that Klaus was not available. And Marcel, Klaus' protégée and New Orleans supernatural royalty, wouldn't let me touch her."

"He fancied her," Rebekah added. "Probably still does."

At that moment, Camille spotted the group and frowned. She excused herself from the bar and approached them. "Can I just leave before you attempt to kill me? That's all I ask."

"I'm not going to kill you or even attempt to," Caroline assured her. "Despite your insignificance, Klaus doesn't want you dead and I don't want Marcel as an enemy so you can live tonight." She stepped to stand in front of Camille. "But know that I don't believe you when you say aren't here to stir up trouble and if you go anywhere near him, so help me god, I'll tear out your spine."

"And I'll help," Katherine added for good measure.

"I'm going," Camille mumbled, pushing past them and out the door.

"I feel like I just watched Caroline Forbes, circa 2010, telling the Miss Mystic contestants off for some horrific offense," Elena joked. "Like wearing an ugly dress or not putting flowers in the right place."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I wasn't that bad back then."

"Yes," Bonnie sighed, "you were. But I don't know why you'd be threatened by her. Klaus is like, obsessed with you and he has been pretty much since he first came to town, you know, after he broke the curse and everything."

"Well, certain characteristics are heightened as a vampire and I'm wildly neurotic," Caroline reasoned rationally. "It's not easy to see a girl flirting with your man every chance she gets without wanting to break her neck."

"Which you tried to do once," Rebekah spoke up. "I had to physically restrain you."

"What?!" Elena cried. "You really almost killed her?"

"Heat of the moment," Caroline muttered, shooting Rebekah a glare. "She was going on and on about how she and Klaus had art in common and I got sick of it. I was hungry and it was like, a million degrees and super humid so I snapped."

"She tells that so calmly," Rebekah smirked as the group made their way through the club to a booth near the back. "Witnessing it was actually much different. Caroline had Camille by the neck, pressed up against the wall of the bar Camille worked in, taunting her."

"About what?" Bonnie wanted to know. She missed hearing about the crazy life she knew Caroline led at Klaus' side.

"Just that Camille could use every trick in the book but Nik would never look at her as anything other than a decent bartender," Rebekah remembered. "And when Camille opened her mouth to respond, Caroline placed both hands on either side of her head so I intervened. I'm not fond of Camille either but I knew Caroline would regret killing her so I compelled Camille to forget about it and got Caroline out of there."

"We did keep it from Klaus for a pretty long time," Caroline added. "He got mad, which was so stupid because he spent a thousand years killing people for looking at him the wrong way. I had every right to kill Camille."

Elena stared at her friend. "You think you would've been justified in killing a girl because she had a thing for your boyfriend? Care, if that were true, I'd have killed half of Mystic Falls by now; girls come into the Grill all the time to flirt with Damon."

"I know," Caroline muttered. "But those girls probably back off; Camille didn't. Even after I almost killed her she still threw herself at him. We finally left for Europe but I'm sure if we had stayed in New Orleans any longer, she would've kept flirting."

Katherine waved a waiter who was carrying a tray of shots over. "I didn't like her for the simple fact that she thought she could intimidate any of us as a human. I never threatened her life but I certainly considered it on more than one occasion. I'm just glad she isn't aging well."

Caroline smirked and picked up one of the shot glasses to raise in the air. "I'll drink to that."

"This place is loud!" Matt yelled as he followed the other guys into Bar 16 a few blocks away. "And crowded!"

"Less discretion necessary," Damon explained. "The more people, the more freedom we have."

Matt made a face. "Great."

"You're outnumbered tonight, Donovan," Damon told him. "Get used to it."

Stefan fell back to walk beside Matt. "Ignore him. Elena keeps him on a very strict blood bag diet so he's chomping at the bit for fresh blood."

"It's just weird to be around all this again, I guess," Matt admitted. "I see him and Elena but they're pretty normal these days so I don't think about them being vampires, apart from them not aging. But now, with you, Klaus, and Elijah around, it's back in my face."

"In eight days, we'll all be gone again and it'll just be you and Bonnie, living totally normal lives," Stefan reminded him.

"That doesn't sound so great either," Matt muttered.

"Well, Klaus agreed to let Damon and Elena stay with us for a while so I'm sure he'd let you, too. I don't think he hates you like he does them," Stefan offered.

Matt chuckled. "Lucky me. I might visit this summer for a while but I can give up everything here and I don't want to leave Bonnie alone."

"So noble, quarterback," Damon teased as the men found a place at the bar. "Judgy just needs to find a man; one who isn't knee deep in the supernatural."

"I think my brother Kol would've liked you," Rebekah said to Bonnie as they finished off their third round of drinks. "He liked a challenge and you would've found him obnoxious and crass—which he was—but he would've worn you down."

"That's exactly the kind of guy I'd like to be with," Bonnie deadpanned. "One who wears me down."

"Kol, Kol, Kol," Katherine repeated wistfully. "He was fun. I ran into him a few times over the centuries and he never sold me out to Klaus. I appreciated that."

"That's because for most of his life, Kol hated Nik," Rebekah shrugged. "And then Nik daggered Kol and he was boxed up for one hundred years."

Caroline scrunched her face. "That was all before me. I'd like to believe that he wouldn't dagger anyone anymore."

"Well, isn't he evolving?" Katherine joked.

"I just like to think I've been a good influence on him," Caroline smirked.

"You have," Bonnie said.

The other four girls turned to look at her, jaws dropped.

"What?" she scoffed. "Look, Klaus and I had a semi-normal conversation a few weeks ago and that never would've happened without Care's influence. Ten years ago, he'd have preferred to snap my neck than talk to me for five minutes but we sat there for forty-five and I didn't even want to give him a single aneurysm."

Caroline felt her heart swell with pride in that moment. Ten years ago, three of the four girls sitting with her wanted her fiancée dead and even Rebekah was indifferent towards him at times. And now, they all accepted him (at varying degrees) but it was a major step and Caroline knew that over time, Elena and Katherine would grow to like him, so long as he continued to treat them better. She understood who he was and knew that he had a dark side—the darkest side, if she was honest—but he was fiercely loyal to those he trusted and in fifty or a hundred years, Elena and Katherine would join that small group.

Stefan was walking back to his brother and friends when he spotted Camille walking into the bar. He frowned and hurried back to the table they'd acquired.

"You look broody, brother," Damon noticed.

"Camille is here," Stefan said.

Klaus tensed and looked to the door. "Caroline is under the impression Camille has come so early to stir up trouble."

"Uh, duh," Stefan replied. "Camille liked you, Klaus, and you know that. I know you don't see her as anything but a bartender but Caroline does and it makes her uncomfortable. You don't like when she talks to Tyler and they've been friends since they were kids."

"They also dated," Klaus pointed out.

Before anyone else at the table could respond, Camille approached.

"Well, well, I was run out of one bar by the bride and stumble into another to find the groom," she grinned. "Stefan, Elijah," she added to the others she recognized.

"Camille, this is my brother, Damon, and our friend, Matt," Stefan introduced. "Matt is a groomsmen with me and Elijah."

"I don't see it," Damon spoke up.

"See what?" Camille asked.

"Well, Stefan said Caroline doesn't like you because you like Klaus but there's clearly nothing about you worth being threatened by," Damon said simply. She's gorgeous and you're kind of plain."

"Wow," Camille muttered. "Anyone ever tell you that your honesty is less-than-refreshing?"

"I'm sorry, have you met Caroline Forbes?" Damon joked. "Though, I suppose it'll be Caroline Mikaelson a week from now."

Klaus smirked at the thought of her having his name and suddenly wanted nothing more than to go home and fall asleep in the same bed with her in his arms.

Camille rolled her eyes. "I'll never understand what is so great about Caroline. Yes, she's beautiful and people like her but so what? I could say the same for a lot of people I know but they aren't placed on a pedestal."

"Look, I don't know you but you clearly don't know Caroline," Matt told her. "She's smart and loyal and strong. She sees the best in people who deserve it and she's kind. And yeah, she's beautiful."

"She's the personification of light," Klaus spoke quietly. "That's who Caroline Forbes-soon-to-be-Mikaelson is. You're just a girl who knew the right way to pour a drink. She is beautiful, as they've said, but she's so much more than that and I'm lucky enough to have an eternity to bask in it."

This quieted the table and Camille immediately. They all knew Klaus loved Caroline and they knew she saw a side to him they didn't know but this was their first introduction to that Klaus. Elijah and Stefan had seen glimpses over the years but he'd never said anything like this in front of even them.

"You should go now, Camille," Damon finally said. "Wouldn't want Blondie to find out you're stalking her hybrid."

"Too late," Matt muttered as something caught his eye near the door.

"Un-fucking-believable," Caroline grumbled as she glared at the back of Camille's head upon walking into Bar 16. "Really, how many freebies did I sign up for when I said I'd let her be?"

Elena placed a calming hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Deep breaths, Care. It doesn't look like anything is going on."

Taking her friend's advice, Caroline took a deep breath and headed in the direction of the guys' table.

"Hello, sweetheart," Klaus greeted her, reaching for her hand. "I thought we weren't supposed to see each other tonight?"

"We aren't," she replied, eyeing Camille, "but I guess it's a good thing we found you when we did."

"It's not like I came here looking for them," Camille said coolly. "When you kicked me out of the last place, I had to go somewhere else."

"And what, your hotel wasn't good enough?" Caroline demanded. "Take a hint, Camille: we don't want you around."

Damon laughed. He'd forgotten how much he missed bossy, controlling Caroline. She was great for entertainment, especially if he was slightly drunk.

"Marcel wouldn't like you talking to me this," Camille said shakily.

Katherine looked around. "Oh, Marcel is here early, too? That's funny, I don't see him anywhere. Look, I've stood by and let Caroline be much nicer to you than she should be because that's who she is but I won't stand for it much longer."

"Katerina," Elijah warned. "This is not your fight."

"I don't care," Katherine shook her head. "For some reason I'll certainly never understand, I've decided to like Caroline and I don't like seeing my friends upset. So, Camille, unless you want your heart ripped out and FedEx'd to Marcel in a beer cooler, you will leave this bar and hang out in your hotel until the wedding and you'll only come to that with Marcel so he can keep you occupied." She stood in front of the woman. "Do you understand?"

Camille looked to Klaus. "You're more powerful than all of them combined. Are you going to let this happen?"

Klaus hated taking Katherine's side but he appreciated that she was sticking up for Caroline so he sighed. "I think it best you do as she says, Camille. You're welcome to attend the wedding but I do recommend you do it on Marcel's arm with Sophie close by. Just in case, of course."

"This is ridiculous," Camille mumbled. "I'm being bullied by a bunch of children."

"Actually, the only children here are Caroline and Stefan," Klaus stared. "The rest of us were turned as adults and Matt and Bonnie are nearly your age."

Caroline shot him a look; he knew her eternal age of seventeen was a sore subject. "Camille, you have about ten seconds before I compel the truth out of you about why you're really here and I hate compulsion so I'd leave now if I were you. This is getting really tiresome. Why waste the effort?"

"Fine," Camille snapped. "I'll go but don't expect me to be happy for you two."

"We don't," Caroline assured her as Camille stormed away.

"Caroline Forbes, you are a vision when wrapped in jealousy," Damon told her.

"I'm not jealous," Caroline shot back. "I'm annoyed; there's a difference."

Rebekah stepped forward. "Since the boys are here, we should go. These parties are supposed to be separate."

Katherine sat down on Elijah's lap. "It's not really worth it to split up again. We can have just as much fun together as we could apart."

"Are you okay with that?" Rebekah asked Caroline.

Caroline reached for Klaus' hand again and pulled him up from the table. "Well, I mostly just want to dance and if we stay together, I have my favorite dance partner at my disposal."

"Love, you know this isn't the kind of dancing I do," he said as she dragged out to the center of the floor as an old Robin Thicke song, 'Blurred Lines,' played through the speakers.

"You'll do it for me and you'll like it," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck.

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her close to him. "I'm beginning to like these joint parties much better."

Caroline just smiled and swayed to the beat in his arms. Even though he said he didn't like 'gratuitous club-dancing,' as he called it, Klaus could dance. And he certainly knew the right places to put his hands to drive her wild.

"Stop it," she groaned for the third time as his hands gripped the tops of her thighs and moved under her dress. "This is a very public place."

"And?" he smirked, kissing down her neck. "Can't we just chalk it up to being seemingly young and in love? Besides, it's incredibly crowded and most people here are drunk, so they won't even notice."

"Just because you gave up on the bet today doesn't mean I'm going to," she reminded him. "It's seven more days of no sex; we can make it."

"In that dress, you make it incredibly difficult, love," he whispered in her ear before kissing the spot just below it. "I've given in a lot for this wedding so don't you think it's time I was rewarded?"

"I'll reward you plenty when we're on a private beach somewhere," she said softly, pressing her body into his. "Speaking of, we should probably decide where that will be. And don't even tell me you already own one and have been holding out on me for ten years."

"Nothing like that," he grinned, "but I have connections. All you need to worry about it packing very little clothing because you won't need much."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that," she breathed.

Bonnie stood at the bar with Katherine and Rebekah, watching Klaus and Caroline in their own little world in the middle of the dance floor. "Eleven years ago, if you had told me that I would someday think Klaus and Caroline would make the perfect couple, I'd have laughed, but now, it's obvious."

Katherine sighed. "You're going soft on me, Bon-Bon. You're supposed to be judgmental and cold."

"Says the girl who gave the grand 'Caroline is my friend now' speech," Rebekah snorted into her martini.

"What can I say?" Katherine shrugged, looking back to the table where Elijah was laughing at a story Matt told. "A girl in love is a mysterious thing. You're letting Elena live with you for six months so your beloved Stefan can have his brother back and you hate Elena, though I can't say I blame you there."

Bonnie sighed. "Could you two at least try to pretend you notice I'm still here before you badmouth my best friend?"

"No," Rebekah and Katherine answered quickly and in unison.

"Fair enough," Bonnie murmured as she backed away from them.

Later that night, Damon and Klaus stood at the bar, waiting for their last round of drinks.

"I never thought the day would come where I consider you a good influence on anyone but you are," Damon told him. "On Blondie, I mean. She's stronger now, more sure of herself. That wasn't always the case."

"No, I suppose not," Klaus agreed. "Though I can't imagine you feeding on her and taking advantage at every occasion made it very easy for her."

Damon sighed. "I should've known she'd blab about our first few encounters. But Caroline and I talked that out. I apologized and thanked her for being who she is and she forgave me."

"Because she's Caroline and that's what she does," Klaus explained. "She's good and kind and pure. I, however, am not so it will take a great deal more than one heartfelt conversation between the two of you before I forget what you've done to her. But I am willing to let you live in my home for six months so that will give you ample opportunity to win me over."

Damon smirked and raised his glass. "Well, here's hoping."

Caroline yawned and checked the time on her vintage Rolex. "Oh, my God, it's almost two o'clock. We should head back."

"Yes, let's," Elijah agreed, standing up. "I'll take care of the tab."

"Oh, you don't have to do that," Elena spoke up.

"It's my pleasure," he told her.

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Just let the man pay, Saint Elena."

"Do you think it possible that you and I ride home together?" Klaus asked Caroline as the group made their way outside. "I'll get us a cab and they can take the cars."

"No, I really think this night should end how it began," she decided. "I'll ride with the girls, you ride with the guys, and we'll meet up in our bed."

"If you insist," he nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll see you at home, love."

She patted his cheek softly and backed away to climb into the limo the other girls were already in.

"God, just one photo of the way he looks at you and I could easily destroy the thousand-year-old reputation he's created as the badass Original hybrid," Katherine sighed.

"You wouldn't," Rebekah shook her head. "Not if you want to keep the pardon he's offered."

"Do others assume you're scary by association?" Bonnie asked Caroline.

"Scary by association?" Caroline repeated.

"Well, most people would expect that the girl who ends up with Klaus would be evil and sociopathic like he is," Elena shrugged, understanding what Bonnie meant. "Right?"

"Ugh, no!" Caroline cried. "People like me because I'm the opposite. When he threatens their lives, I'm the calm one who assures them he's all talk. But the prestige of being on his arm? I don't hate it."

Rebekah scoffed. "Of course not. By default, you're queen of the supernatural world. Who wouldn't like that?"

"Me", Elena raised her hand.

"And me," Bonnie agreed. "Too much pressure."

Katherine knocked Caroline's knew with her own. "Not for the princess though. She was born to lead."

"Indeed," Caroline smirked. "I'm getting real-world use out of my Miss Mystic Falls training. I knew winning would be practical someday."

"Right, because you just knew you'd become a vampire and fall in love with the king of the supernatural?" Bonnie deadpanned.

"No," Caroline denied, "but I knew I'd rule something somewhere."

"Oh, Care, I miss you," Elena smiled. "I'm really excited to come to London."

"Me, too," Caroline beamed, reaching for her friend's hand. "The shopping is to die for."

"Good thing I'm already dead then," Elena joked.

"And Bon, you'll visit," Caroline added. "You can take a vacation every now and again."

Bonnie grinned. "I think I can manage that."

After dropping Elena and Bonnie off at their respective homes, Caroline, Rebekah, and Katherine rode back to the Mikaelson mansion in silence.

"Fun night, princess," Katherine yawned as the three made their way inside. "And just so you know, if you had gone after Camille like you should've, I'd have had your back."

"Thanks, Katherine," Caroline said softly as she headed up the stairs. "Goodnight."

When she reached her and Klaus' bedroom, he wasn't home yet so she showered quickly and put on a cotton nightgown before crawling into their bed and curling up in the blankets.

"Falling asleep without me, love? Bad form, especially since you knew I was finally going to sleep in here with you."

She remained on her side, facing the window, but smiled at the sound of his voice. "I'm tired."

"Mm," was all he said as he stripped down to his boxers. He crawled in beside her and pulled her to him. "Did you have fun tonight?"

"I did," she nodded against his bare chest. "Did you?"

"Well, it was all right at the beginning," he answered, "but about halfway through, a girl walked into the bar with her friends and turned the whole evening around."

"Must've been some girl," she whispered. "Probably beautiful."

"Oh, beautiful doesn't even begin to scratch the surface about this girl," he replied quietly, running his fingers through her hair. "She's strong, ageless, fearless."

She just laughed tiredly. "Goodnight, Nik."

"Goodnight, Caroline."


	9. Chapter 8

**Okay, I know I said there would only be one chapter left but it was getting so long that I broke it up into two chapters; I figured you all wouldn't hate me for that. So, this is the rehearsal dinner day and a lot of stuff happens. I'm still a little hesitant about their gifts to each other but it was the best I could come up with so hopefully you don't hate them. I'm about halfway through the last chapter now so I should have it up soon-ishly. As always, if there's anything you wanna see, all you gotta do is ask. And leave a review to let me know what you think; I love that, too. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Again, I own pretty much nothing you recognize so don't sue me.  
**

* * *

"You're getting married tomorrow, Care," Stefan said to Caroline as they sat in the kitchen the Friday morning before the wedding. "How does it feel?"

"How did it feel for you?" she shot back.

"Whoa, calm down," he chuckled.

She sighed. "I'm sorry. It's just, I'm having a hard time finishing my vows and I'm stressing out about it. Not to mention, dozens of witches and vampires from around the world are descending upon us later this evening and there will be several humans in attendance tomorrow, just full of fresh blood."

"Klaus isn't going to let anyone feed within a fifty-mile radius," Stefan assured her. "Elijah and I already made the calls to let people know that. And as for your vows, he doesn't care what you say so long as the ceremony ends with him putting a ring on your finger and the judge pronouncing you as 'man and wife.'"

"But you know whatever he says, it will probably be romantic and poetic," she replied. "I'll cry and he'll get all smug so I have to say something good enough to at least render him speechless."

"Not shooting for tears?" Stefan joked.

"Please," she scoffed. "I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen him cry in eleven years and I'm with him nearly every single day. He only tends to cry when he's angry, scared, or hurt and I don't want him to be any of those tomorrow." She eyed him. "Do you know if he's finished his?"

"No idea," Stefan shook his head. "Every time I see him working on them, he turns away; he's being very private about whatever he's writing."

Caroline groaned in frustration. "How do you properly express your love for a guy who's been alive since like, the 9th Century?"

"Well, Bek liked that I talked about how we fell in love," Stefan offered.

"Yeah, cause it was mostly sweet," Caroline muttered. "Our love story isn't so cute. And before you say it, I can't talk about him saving my life because that would require us mentioning being vampires and due to those humans who will be there, we aren't doing that."

"Why don't you take a break from the vows for a while?" he suggested. "It's making you crazy."

"Okay," she sighed, setting her iPad aside. "So, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. Klaus obviously doesn't have his parents and I'm happy to have my mom but she isn't interested in dancing with me, so he and I were thinking that instead of father-daughter and mother-son dances, he would dance with Rebekah and I could dance with you?"

He smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "You're my best friend and she's his baby sister so it makes sense to us. It would just be one shared dance between all of us, not two separate things."

"I would be honored," he assured her.

Caroline grinned and patted his hand. "I'm glad. He's picking the song so I have no idea what it will be; same goes for our first dance. I'm sure it will be something from the Twenties because that was his favorite time period."

Stefan shook his head. "I doubt it. Maybe the song for our dances will be because three of us were there together but the song you two dance to will be a tad more modern, if not exactly of the Top 40 variety."

"I honestly don't care what it is," she shook her head. "I just want to dance with him while wearing a wedding band as 'Caroline Mikaelson.'"

"We talked about that last week," he admitted. "You're going to take his name?"

"Well, I'm dead so it isn't exactly legal but yes," she confirmed. "Rebekah took yours. Her passport and driver's license read 'Rebekah M. Salvatore' now. I don't know, there's just something so human about the idea of taking my husband's name."

He smirked. "You think your newfound friendship with her and being so close all this wedding stuff will convince Katherine to take the plunge with Elijah eventually?"

"No," Caroline shook her head. "I think Elijah would like it, but it just isn't Katherine's thing. She's too stubborn and she likes her independence. I know that she loves him and would never leave but they'll stay unmarried."

"I don't know," he murmured, looking out to the backyard where Katherine and Elijah were sitting around the pool. "I think she'd do it someday."

Caroline shrugged. "Maybe I'll convince her of the positives of it in the future."

"When he was forcing Tyler to bite you on your fake 18th birthday, did you ever think you'd end up here, convinced that there would be positives to marrying Klaus?" Stefan teased.

Caroline made a face. "No."

"When, then?" he asked. "When was the first time you thought to yourself, '_hey, maybe he's not so bad?_' Or better, '_maybe_ _I have feelings for this guy?_'"

"The first time I thought he had some redeeming qualities was the night of the ball that Esther threw," she remembered. "We'd fought and I said some unpleasant things and he got angry but that was also the first time he ever drew me a picture and he thanked me for my honesty. I sort of liked that he could admit that what I said was true, albeit harsh. As for the first time I considered real feelings for him? At the Miss Mystic pageant when I let him be my date. He showed vulnerability and was genuinely concerned for how I felt about the fake relationship between Tyler and Hayley. I don't know. I just, really liked him that day. And it grew from there. Sure, he killed Carol Lockwood soon after and I hated him for that, but I couldn't hold a grudge against him anymore; he'd already made his way in and somewhere along the way, I fell in love."

Klaus stood just outside the kitchen, eavesdropping on their conversation, unable to keep the small smile from his face.

"I'm happy for you, Care," Stefan told her sincerely. "You've been there for me through a lot of crap over the years and I probably wouldn't be here today with Rebekah if it weren't for you so I'm glad to see you so happy. Even if it is with Klaus," he joked.

She shoved him. "He's your friend."

Stefan just chuckled. "I guess if you can be friends with Katherine Pierce, I can be friends with Klaus."

"Katherine is _unique_...," Caroline reasoned slowly. "I like her brazen attitude and her confidence. I hate that she killed me still but if she hadn't, I wouldn't get forever with Nik and that's worth it to me. Besides, I'm way more likable as a vampire than I was as a human and you know it."

"I'll agree with that," Stefan nodded as his phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket. "It's Rebekah; she's running last-minute errands."

Once Stefan left the room, Caroline stood from the table to clean up her breakfast just as Klaus took the opportunity to join her.

"Morning," she beamed, kissing his cheek. "You were up early."

"I had some last minute things to do for your wedding gift," he explained, taking her hands, "but it's ready now and I'd like to give it to you."

She frowned. "Yours isn't ready yet."

"It's all right," he assured her, leading her through the house to his studio. "Will you close your eyes?"

Caroline sighed but complied, knowing it was important to him. "This better be good."

He guided her inside and stood her in front of the easel her gift was on. He reached up to remove the sheet before turning back to her. "All right, you can open them now."

Cautiously, Caroline opened her eyes and gasped at the painting in front of her. "Oh, my God."

He'd done a massive painting of the two of them sitting in front of the lake behind their London home. He'd painted them from behind but her head was resting on his shoulder and they looked very much in love. It was also the first time he'd ever put himself into a painting with her, which was all she'd ever asked of him in his work.

"Nik," she breathed, stepping up to stand directly in front of him. "You're in it."

"I am," he nodded.

"It's so beautiful," she said as tears filled her eyes. "That's us, and the lake, and you even added Penny!" she noticed, pointing to their neighbor's dog that Caroline liked to pretend was theirs. She threw her arms around his neck. "I love it. It's so perfect." She kissed him. "And I love you so much. I can't wait to become your wife tomorrow."

Klaus smiled, pleased that she liked it so much. "I can't wait either, love. And I'm glad you like it."

"Like it?" she repeated. "I love it! You're in it and that's all I've ever wanted. You've done thousands of sketches of me over the years but never any with you and like I've said, there can't be a me without you so this depicts my real life. And it's going to hang in our bedroom, so don't even fight me on it."

"I wouldn't dream of it," he grinned, cupping her face in his hands. "I love you, Caroline."

Without saying anything else, she kissed him once more, this time more passionately, and before long, he carried her to the couch in the corner.

"You're giving in on your end of the bet," he smirked, kissing down her neck.

"Screw the bet," she panted, reaching for his belt buckle. "You put yourself in the painting and I just miss this with you."

Klaus needed no more persuasion.

"They're like bloody animals sometimes," Rebekah grumbled thirty minutes later as she and Stefan sat in the den next to the studio. "You'd never know there's a wedding rehearsal in six hours with the way they carry on."

"Leave them alone," Stefan advised. "They're getting married tomorrow and this is a special time for them. We weren't much different."

"How am I going to convince him to leave her for the night to stay at the boarding house with you and Damon?" she frowned. "They only recently started sleeping in the same bed again and now, it sounds like she's given up on the bet, too."

Stefan laughed. "Klaus will leave for the night because she'll ask him to, not because you demand it."

Rebekah sighed. "I remember the days when Nik did things for me first."

"Yeah, the days when he was a sociopathic murderer without any remorse," he deadpanned.

"You liked him like that once," she pointed out.

"Sure, when I was the Ripper," he replied quietly. "I wasn't exactly well-liked by normal people back then."

"I liked you," Rebekah said, leaning against him. "And I love you."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, too."

Caroline traced lazy circles on Klaus' bare chest as they lay on the couch in the studio. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he replied, running his fingers through her hair.

"Well, I know why you daggered Rebekah in the Twenties," she explained. "She was choosing her love for Stefan over you when Mikael found you in Chicago. But what happened that you daggered Finn and Kol? You've never talked about that."

"They're dead," he reasoned. "There isn't much to say. But I daggered Finn because he was threatening to reveal what we were constantly so that people might try to kill us; he hated what we are. And I did it to Kol in New Orleans, just before going to Chicago, because he, too, was tired of running from our father and wanted to fight. I knew we would lose and I couldn't risk that so I stuck a dagger in his heart and he joined Finn and my mother in the caskets."

Caroline was quiet for a long time. "Rebekah thinks Kol would've liked Bonnie."

He rolled his eyes. "Kol liked pretty girls with sharp tongues so yes, I'm sure the Bennett witch would've been to his liking. But she would've hated his arrogance and self-absorption."

"She's befriended Damon and he isn't much different," she smirked.

"Kol was reckless," Klaus went on. "Only ever concerned with the next party or adventure. He took absolutely nothing seriously. It was maddeningly frustrating."

"I'm sorry," Caroline apologized softly.

"For what?" he asked in confusion.

"You miss him," she whispered.

"Sometimes," he admitted only to her. "But I have you now and that's all I need," he added, tilting his head down to kiss her tenderly.

She smiled in contentment before glancing at the clock on the wall. "We should really get out there and make sure things are running smoothly."

As if on cue, Rebekah, Stefan, Katherine, and Elijah stormed into the room.

"This house is too small," Klaus grumbled, covering himself and Caroline with a sheet before anything was seen. "What do you lot need?"

"We have a problem," Rebekah announced. "Judge Morrison has been double-booked by his idiot receptionist and cannot be here tomorrow for the ceremony. When I implored him to bail on the other wedding, he said it's for his nephew and his wife would kill him."

"Freaking Jacob Morrison would be getting married tomorrow," Caroline muttered. "Well, what are we going to do? No other judge can get here in time and no pastor will do it on such short notice."

Katherine typed furiously on her cell phone for a moment before smiling smugly. "I have a solution."

"This ought to be good," Stefan murmured.

"I'll do it," the Petrova doppelgänger offered, showing her screen. "I just ordained myself online and anyone can sign a marriage certificate. Plus, I know you two better than any town judge."

"Not happening," Klaus denied. "I'll have a judge here from New Orleans by morning."

"Let me do it," Katherine pleaded. "You kept me out of the wedding party and I've done a lot for this thing, including finding Caroline's dress and making sure Camille hasn't shown her face again, so I've shown my worth. Please?"

Caroline could see the genuine desire on Katherine's face so she sighed. "Okay, you can do it. _But_ you cannot make any mention of vampirism _and_ you still have to let Bonnie alter your appearance. People know Elena doesn't have a cousin who looks so much like her. And you have to say nice things about him."

"Deal," Katherine agreed triumphantly. "I'll go start working on my speech."

"Thank you, Caroline," Elijah smiled once Katherine was gone from the room. "She'd never admit it but this means a lot to her."

"Happy to help," Caroline shrugged. "I do feel bad she wasn't going to be a bridesmaid."

Rebekah scoffed. "You're insane. You do understand that, right? She will find a way to wreck this wedding now."

"No," Klaus reluctantly shook his head. "I've seen how she's bonded with Caroline; she wouldn't do that to her."

Rebekah sighed. "This is suddenly all ludicrous."

"It'll be fine, Bekah," Caroline assured her. "I just want to be married, so for all I care, Camille could marry us tomorrow." She perked up. "Actually, we should've let her. The look on her face as she called us 'husband and wife' would've been worth it."

"Now, now," Klaus chuckled. "If you three don't mind, we'd like to be left alone."

"No, there's too much to be done," Rebekah denied. "You have five minutes to get dressed before I steal your girl away, Nik."

Caroline groaned once the three of them left. "It's our wedding and even I'm ready for it to be over. I just want to be alone with you, without Rebekah barging in about place settings or centerpieces."

"Me, too," he agreed, "but you know she'll just come back if we don't do as she says so we should probably get dressed."

"All right," Caroline sighed, getting up to retrieve her floral dress and undergarments. "When do we leave for the Maldives?" she asked, having finally been told of their honeymoon destination.

"Tomorrow night, after the reception," Klaus answered, buttoning his jeans. "We'll take a private plane out as soon as we're ready to go."

"Okay," she nodded, zipping up her dress. "I'm going to go find Rebekah so I probably won't see you now until the rehearsal. We're starting at five so don't be late."

"Wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart," he assured her as she left the room.

"It's a beautiful piece," Rebekah told Caroline in reference to her wedding present as the two blondes sat in Rebekah and Stefan's room, finishing Caroline's gift for Klaus. "He never paints himself into anything."

"I know," Caroline smiled softly. "That's why I like it so much; it's how I see me—with him sitting right there beside me." She looked at her project. "Will he like this?"

"Are you kidding?" Rebekah scoffed. "It drives him mad that he knows so little of you what you were like growing up so this is absolutely perfect."

Caroline held up the book. "I don't know. It's so fifth-grade-arts-and-crafts compared to what he did. I mean, a scrapbook of me growing up?"

Rebekah took the giant album and held it up. "Caroline, this thing is sixty-fives pages and full of photos and mementos and ribbons and awards and anything else that could possibly tell him who you were as a human."

"Human Caroline wasn't so great," the younger vampire grumbled. "She was bitchy and jealous and downright mean. Always second best to Elena and never quite good enough."

Rebekah frowned. "You aren't that girl anymore. You're the only person on the planet who truly matters to the most powerful being on earth now."

"Not the _only_ person," Caroline shook her head. "You matter to him, and so do Elijah and Stefan. I think Katherine might someday, and even Elena and Damon. We're all going to live forever so we might as well create a new family amongst each other."

"I'm not sure I'll ever consider Katherine family," Rebekah sneered. "Technically, Damon already is my family and by association, so is Elena. And you know I already consider you my sister."

Caroline smiled. "Me, too. And I want to thank you for everything you've done for this wedding."

"I liked doing it," Rebekah assured her. "And you did as much for mine. I want you and Nik to be stress-free and happy tomorrow so I'll do whatever I have to."

"And you like bossing people around," Caroline added with a sly grin, adding the first photo ever taken of her and Klaus as the last page. "That's it, it's finished."

"He's going to love it," Rebekah told her honestly. "Ten years ago, the thought of anyone giving Nik a scrapbook would've been laughable but now, it's the best thing you could give him. He wants to know and see everything you've ever done and this will do just that."

"I'll give it to him tonight before he and Stefan leave for the boarding house," Caroline decided. "Is Elijah staying here?"

"Only if we don't mind," Rebekah answered. "He said he'll go with the others if we want since there will be all girls here."

"He'd probably prefer that," Caroline shrugged. "Katherine will want to hang out with us." She paused. "Well, me. She'll antagonize the rest of you."

Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I don't know why you like her. She did kill you once upon a time."

"True," Caroline nodded, "but if she hadn't, we wouldn't be sitting here on the day before I marry Klaus and the thought of that almost paralyzes me with fear because I want this more than I've ever wanted anything."

Rebekah got momentarily quiet. "Does it ever bother you that you can't have kids?"

"It used to," Caroline admitted, "but not anymore. It bothers you, doesn't it?"

"Sometimes," Rebekah shrugged. "Stefan would be a good dad and I think I'd be an okay mother, even though my own wanted to kill me."

Caroline smiled. "You'd be the best mom, Bek. You could get a puppy."

"Not quite the same," Rebekah denied. "There have been times that I've gone a little mad and considered just adopting and turning one but how cruel would that be to do to a child? Take away their human life before they're old enough to understand?"

"Pretty cruel," Caroline agreed. "You could be a foster parent? You'd have to completely hide what you are but it's an option."

"No," Rebekah shook her head sadly. "I've accepted that it will never happen and it's all right. I have Stefan and my brothers and you and that's enough family."

Caroline reached for her friend's hand in support. "After our honeymoon, maybe you and I could take a trip to Paris and shop? We haven't done anything just the two of us in a while."

"Okay," Rebekah agreed, a smile back on her face. She took the album once more. "I promise you that he will love this. If he doesn't, you can snap my neck."

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Caroline laughed.

At five o'clock on the dot, the wedding party, Caroline's mother, Damon, and Katherine had convened in the backyard for the rehearsal.

"So, how are we doing this, O Ordained One?" Damon addressed Katherine sarcastically.

Katherine rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses. "Well, my speech isn't quite ready yet because I was only given this job today but I was thinking we'd start with me speaking and then Klaus and Caroline will say their vows and it'll end with rings and a kiss. That's pretty much what I got from a few YouTube videos. Is there anything else you'd like to have happen?"

Caroline, looking positively ethereal in a flowy white maxi dress with her hair braided around her head, looked to Klaus. "I think that all sounds okay to me. Is there anything else you want?"

"I don't have much experience with weddings beyond Rebekah and Stefan's, so if that is all there is in the ceremony, it sounds fine to me," Klaus replied. He glanced at Liz. "Is there anything else you'd like?"

Liz, pleased he'd thought to ask her, shook her head. "I don't think so. This is about you two."

"Remember, nothing remotely vampire-related," Rebekah warned Katherine. "There will be humans here."

"I know," Katherine muttered in annoyance. "How long are you wanting the ceremony to be? I love to talk so I can make my speech as long as it needs to be."

"Like, twenty minutes?" Caroline guessed. "It isn't religious or anything so it can be quick."

"Good," Matt muttered. "It's going to be almost 90 degrees and that suit is hot."

"Wait til you see my dress," Caroline laughed. "You'll be cool as a cucumber compared to me."

"Will you even notice?" Bonnie asked.

"It will be uncomfortable," Caroline nodded. "I could wear it forever but I wouldn't want to."

"Why don't we run through the logistics of the ceremony a couple times?" Elijah suggested. "That way we can at least set the pace for how everything should go."

So they did. For forty-five minutes, they practiced walking down the aisle and Katherine gave snippets of her speech. To everyone's surprise, she said kind things about Klaus, though they were all related to Caroline, but they were nice nonetheless. When they finished, Caroline requested they take photos outside before moving into the dining room for the catered dinner.

"You want pictures of the rehearsal?" Damon scoffed. "Won't there be like, hundreds of pictures tomorrow?"

"I'm not asking for anything very formal right now," Caroline explained. "But these will be the last photos we take as 'Caroline Forbes' and 'Klaus Mikaelson' before we're 'The Mikaelson's.'"

"You know, just when I think we're really friends and you're someone I won't mind having around for eternity, you say shit like that," Katherine groaned.

Caroline just smirked. "You'll learn to love it. Come on, just a few pictures."

"I'll take them," Liz offered, taking Caroline's camera.

The last photo taken was of just Caroline and Klaus, standing together under the arch Rebekah had commissioned.

"I hate pictures, you know," he murmured against her ear as he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"I know," she sighed, smiling brightly at her mother, "and after tomorrow, I may never ask you for another photo again but for the next thirty hours or so, you'll just have to suck it up."

"The things I do for you, sweetheart," he sighed, looking to Liz.

After Caroline decided enough photos had been taken, everyone moved inside for the dinner. As one final compromise, Caroline had agreed to Cajun food, knowing it was Klaus' favorite—when he actually ate real food—and he'd put up with a lot from both her and his sister since proposing.

Elijah's phone went off softly as Katherine poured wine into his glass. He pulled it out and read the message. "Marcel, Sophie, and Davina have arrived. They're with Camille at her hotel in Richmond." He tucked his phone away once more.

"Good," Klaus nodded. "They're to stay in this evening."

"He knows," Stefan spoke up. "I talked to him this afternoon."

"When I first met Marcel, I never thought I'd see the day when he would do exactly as you asked," Caroline said to her fiancée as a caterer placed a bowl of gumbo in front of her.

"It took a while but Marcel knows who comes first," Klaus reasoned. "He doesn't want any trouble." He looked at her. "And if I've not already told you tonight, you look beautiful, love."

"Wait til you see me tomorrow," she winked.

"I look forward to it," he assured her.

As plates were being cleared an hour later, Liz cleared her throat and stood up. "Since I won't give a speech tomorrow night, I wanted to say a few words tonight before everyone goes their separate ways for the evening. When I first learned of Klaus and what he'd come to Mystic Falls for, it's safe to say I hated him. I'd spent my life hating vampires and my job was to protect this town so I saw him as a threat. Caroline did, too. But for some reason, he liked her. And from what I understand, that's never happened in his thousand-plus years so while I wanted him dead, I was at least pleased to know that he probably wouldn't hurt her. That was selfish of me, because while I knew Caroline was safe, the rest of you weren't, but as her mother, I didn't care. What I really didn't anticipate was her reciprocating those feelings but that's what happened and somewhere along the way, my sweet little girl fell in love with the big bad hybrid and that terrified me. I thought he would destroy her and ruin her life but I'll admit that I was wrong. He might just be the best thing that's ever happened to her."

Klaus could feel everyone staring at him in near shock. It was one thing for the sheriff to give her blessing but it was another for her to say he was the best thing to ever happen to Caroline.

"All I've ever wanted for Caroline was for her to be safe and happy and at this point, the only way she'll ever get both is if she's with Klaus so as her mother, I'm happy," Liz went on. "I obviously won't be around forever like most of you will be but I trust that he will always take care of her and that makes me feel good about all of this." She raised her glass. "So, to Caroline and Klaus, I wish you nothing but happiness, and if the last ten years are any indication, that's exactly what you'll have."

Caroline, with tears in her eyes, stood up to hug her mother. "Thank you, Mommy."

"Of course, sweetie," Liz whispered. "You'll always be my little girl."

Klaus stood, too, and offered his hand.

"Oh, one hug won't kill us," Liz chuckled, wrapping her arms around him.

"No, but he might," Damon muttered, earning an elbow in his gut from Elena.

"I, too, would like to make a toast," Elijah declared, standing up.

"This is the part when Kol would gag, roll his eyes, and pour himself another glass of wine," Rebekah smiled wistfully, missing her cheeky older brother in that moment.

"I've accepted that Stefan is to be Niklaus' best man tomorrow but I would like to say a few words as his older brother who has been around just along as he has and has seen many of Niklaus' personalities over the years," Elijah explained. "The one I'd never seen, and never thought I would, was of a man in love but that's exactly who I found him as ten years ago when I returned to Mystic Falls to defeat Silas. For the first time in over a thousand years, my brother was putting someone else's safety before his and I knew, _I knew_ that if Caroline would just admit to her feelings for him, he would love her for the rest of time. And I'm so pleased and proud to stand here now as they prepare to marry tomorrow. Niklaus is stubborn and guarded and cold but so long as Caroline is around, I no longer have to worry about his temper getting the best of him. She calms him down and keeps him rational. I never thought anyone could do that." He raised his glass. "So while this toast should be the couple, I'm actually raising it to just Caroline. Thank you for giving Rebekah and me our brother back."

Caroline smiled as she hugged him. "That means a lot to me, Elijah."

"I meant every word of it," Elijah assured her.

"Yeah, yeah, it was really sweet and all but isn't it time for the boys to leave so we can give you embarrassing lingerie?" Katherine demanded.

"Does that mean you're sending me away?" Elijah chuckled.

"Sorry, doll, but you won't want to be here for this," Katherine assured him. "Now, boys, go before it gets too late and our blushing bride needs her beauty sleep."

As the catering crew cleared the table, everyone moved to the sitting room to say their goodbyes for the evening.

"I'll be here at ten," Liz told Caroline as she grabbed her purse.

"Okay," Caroline nodded, kissing her mother's cheek. "I want to meet Ryan so invite him. I know it's last-minute but tell him I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Liz quirked an eyebrow at the reference to the man she'd been casually seeing from the mayor's office. "How do you know about Ryan?"

"Elena saw you two at Winston Park a few weeks ago when she was on a field trip with the kids' home," Caroline reported. "She says he's really nice and volunteers with her on the weekends; that's how she recognized him."

"Well, I'll extend the invitation," Liz said. "He doesn't know _everything_ about you. Should he?"

"Not until you're dead certain you'll spend the rest of your life with him," Caroline replied. "And since I doubt you're there yet, let's keep that secret between the people in this room."

"Got it," Liz agreed. "Goodnight, sweetie."

Klaus was retrieving his overnight bag and the garment bag that held his suit from the closet in the foyer when Caroline cornered him.

"Your present is ready and I wanted to give it to you now before everything is crazy tomorrow," she told him, holding up a gift-wrapped box to him.

"Well, I do like presents," he joked, tearing into the paper. He lifted the lid and moved to sit at the bottom of the grand staircase to look in the box.

"Don't hate it," she whispered.

"Hate it?" he repeated. "I couldn't."

Caroline watched with trepidation as Klaus pulled out the scrapbook and began to flip through the pages in silence. She was just beginning to feel like he thought it ridiculous when he chuckled.

"You were a Girl Scout," he laughed, smiling down at a photo of a front toothless, seven-year-old Caroline, wearing her uniform and sash with the badges proudly, selling cookies in the town square with her troop. "How precious."

"Elena's mom was our troop leader and I think it drove her a little crazy that I always outsold everyone," Caroline remembered. "But there was always a really cool prize for being top seller and I'm competitive."

"Oh, I know," he nodded, turning to the next page. "Caroline, I couldn't have asked for anything more than this."

"Well, you always say you wish you could've known me as a human and this is the best I could do," she shrugged. "My mom donated to it and Rebekah helped put it all together."

He set the album aside and took her into his arms. "Well, it's perfect."

She kissed him, relieved he was so happy with it. "I'm glad you like it."

"Nik, you have to go!" Rebekah demanded, stomping into the foyer.

"She does excel in ruining a moment," he murmured, pressing another brief kiss to Caroline's lips. "I love you, sweetheart."

"I love you, too," she breathed as they stood up. "And the next time I see you, we'll be getting married."

"Indeed," he nodded, hugging her tightly. "Goodnight, Caroline Forbes."

"Last time you can say that," she grinned as Rebekah thrust his bags into his hands and shoved him out the front door after Stefan.

"All right, come on!" Rebekah called to Caroline as she headed back to the sitting room.

Caroline sighed and followed after her. All the girls had settled on the couches, each holding a gift.

"Open mine first," Bonnie requested, holding out her present.

"Okay," Caroline agreed, taking it and sitting in the solo chair. She removed the tissue paper and reached into the bag to pull out a lacy black teddy. "Bonnie Bennett!"

"What?" Bonnie shrugged innocently. "There's so little material for him to get through. That way you won't be mad when it's ruined."

"Any material is too much material in Klaus' mind," Caroline muttered, taking Elena's gift next.

"Oh, this will be boring and conservative," Katherine murmured, sipping her wine.

"Stop," Caroline warned as she lifted the lid of the box and pulled out a royal blue corset and matching thong. "Doesn't seem so conservative to me."

Elena shrugged. "Klaus likes blue."

"Me, too," Caroline nodded. "Thanks, 'Lena."

"I went for something a little more elegant," Rebekah stated as she handed over her present.

Caroline eyed the La Perla bag warily before reaching in to pull out a crimson-colored silk nightgown and matching robe. "Oh, Bek, this is beautiful."

"It's provocative without being trashy," Rebekah reasoned. "You don't need to wear slutty lingerie every night."

"Thank you," Caroline grinned, turning to Katherine. "I have a feeling that box will scare me."

"Only if I did my job as maid of dishonor properly," Katherine smirked, handing it over.

"Maid of dishonor?" Rebekah scoffed. "That's not a thing."

"It is now," Katherine shot back smugly.

Caroline rolled her eyes as she un-wrapped the box and timidly lifted the lid. She looked inside in confusion. "Kat, this is empty."

"Exactly," Katherine beamed. "Bon-Bon might've considered Klaus by buying something with little clothing but why waste time and money? It'll be ripped off in seconds so I did him a real solid and only bought this." She reached behind her and tossed Caroline a bottle.

"'Kissable Whipped Body Crème?'" Caroline read. "Ooh, goody, it's vanilla."

"Yeah, well, I don't think that Victoria's secret is that she's a vampire because they don't do blood-flavored quite yet," Katherine deadpanned.

"Well, thanks, guys," Caroline smiled. "I'm sure Klaus will appreciate these gifts just as much as I do. And it means a lot to mean to have you all here."

Rebekah reached forward to take Caroline's hand. "Nowhere else we'd rather be."

Later that night, after everyone had settled into bed, Klaus sat in the chair by the window of his room at the boarding house, sketching. He knew he should've been trying to sleep but he was restless and couldn't stop thinking about the picture of Caroline as a Girl Scout, all pigtails and freckles, so he drew it from memory. He was just starting on her toothless smile when his phone vibrated.

"Sweetheart, shouldn't you be sleeping?" he chuckled softly as he answered Caroline's call.

"Shouldn't you?" she shot back, leaning against the headboard in their bed. "I couldn't sleep and you're an insomniac so I figured you weren't either."

Klaus set her sketchpad aside. "Well, why can't you sleep?"

"I'm too excited," she told him. "I've dreamt about tomorrow since I was a little girl and now it's here but the reality of it is so much better than the childhood fantasy I'd created."

"Why's that?" he asked, finding comfort in just her voice.

"Because in my fantasy, I was marrying Justin Timberlake and in real life, I'm marrying you and that's so much better," she grinned. "He's a bad actor anyways so I'd be embarrassed to be his wife now."

"And you won't be embarrassed to be my wife?" he asked.

"Never," she whispered. "I'll be proud and lucky. There aren't many girls with boys who love them like you love me. And there definitely aren't many boys with girls who love them like I love you."

"No," he agreed, "they're aren't. Did you have a nice evening after we left?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Got some fun stuff that you'll like more than me and I already packed it all for the honeymoon."

"Excellent," he beamed. "I very much look forward to marrying you tomorrow, love."

"Me, too," she breathed, stifling a yawn.

"You're tired," he realized. "We should hang up."

"I don't want to," she shook her head. "I like hearing you talk."

"I don't want you falling asleep on me during the ceremony," he joked. So let's say 'I love you' and 'goodnight' and we'll see each other tomorrow."

"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson," she murmured.

"I love you, too, Caroline Mikaelson," he smiled. "Just testing it out."

"Hmm, I like the sound of that," she mumbled tiredly.

"As do I," he said. "Goodnight, love."

Caroline hung up and set her phone on the bedside table before sliding under the blanket and snuggling into Klaus' pillow. Tomorrow, she would be his wife and all would be right in the world.


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

"Wake up, princess!" Katherine yelled as she barged into Caroline and Klaus' room early the next morning. "It's your wedding day and Rebekah's hair stylist will be here at nine." She plopped down on the bed. "You ready for this?"

"I have been for a long time," Caroline confirmed. "And one day, you will be, too."

"Oh, I don't think so," Katherine shook her head with a laugh. "Elijah and I have talked about it and marriage just isn't in the cards for us."

"You say that now," Caroline sighed as she rolled out of bed. "It'll change. Klaus didn't want to get married and we are."

Katherine made a face. "I won't hold my breath for us but who knows?"

Caroline walked to the en suite bathroom and pulled her hair up into a messy bun. "You guys should really come to London more often now."

"We'll see," Katherine replied. "I don't like all that rain. Why don't you and Klaus come to Paris?"

"Rebekah and I are after the honeymoon," Caroline remembered. "She's feeling a little down again about not having a baby."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "She's been a vampire for over a thousand years; you'd think she would've accepted that by now."

"Well, I think it's different with Stefan in the picture," Caroline explained, washing her face. "She wants a family because of all the guys, he'd be the best dad." She paused. "Well, Elijah would probably be okay, too."

"Ha"! Katherine laughed once. "I'd let Klaus cure me and sacrifice me on an altar before I ever have a child."

"You had one once," Caroline reminded her. "Elena wouldn't be here if you hadn't."

Katherine frowned. "We don't talk about that."

"Sorry," Caroline apologized.

"I'm going to go make sure Rebekah's room is set up for the hair and makeup team," Katherine decided as she hurried out of the room.

"Shit," Caroline breathed, feeling bad for bringing up Katherine's traumatic past.

"It's okay, princess!" Katherine called out from the hallway. "I forgive you!"

"Big day, buddy," Stefan said to Klaus as they finished getting dressed at the boarding house. "You ready?"

"I am," Klaus nodded. "Never thought I'd see this day but I'm glad I am. And I'd only ever do it for Caroline."

"You know, I asked her yesterday when she first knew she loved you," Stefan admitted, "but I've never asked you. Why Caroline? I mean, you saved her from Tyler's first bite without really knowing her from Eve. Why?"

"At first, I just wanted to really meet the girl he was so adamant against hurting," Klaus admitted. "He put up such a fight about biting her so I was curious. And then, when I went to her home, she wasn't as scared of me as I'd expected her to be. She had wit that I appreciated and she was strong, despite the fact that she was dying. And even dying, she was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. So I had to know her. I did my research and invited her to the ball to spend more time with her. That was the first night I can remember thinking, _'This girl could be dangerous.'_ She was honest and never backed down. I liked that fire. And the more time I spent with her, the more I liked."

"But you're the Original Hybrid, the ultimate alpha male," Stefan said. "You've always considered love a weakness. When did you fall in love with her?"

"I wasn't sure what it was I felt until that day we saved her from Alaric at the school," Klaus remembered. "All I wanted was to make sure she was safe. Having her in my arms after she'd escaped his classroom provided a comfort I'd never known and that was the first time I admitted to myself that I might've loved her. It was ridiculous and I did my best to ignore it but as you know, Caroline Forbes is hard to deny."

Stefan chuckled. "That she is."

"Eventually I just gave in," Klaus went on. "I loved her and wanted her in my life so I had to fight for her. I was distracted along the way but eventually, I got my girl."

"Will you wear your ring?" Stefan wondered, looking at his own wedding band.

"Yes," Klaus nodded. "She wants me to; thinks it proves to others that I belong to her. She doesn't understand that people know that as soon as they see us."

"It's a security thing," Stefan shrugged. "Rebekah is the same way. You know, I never asked: where did you get Caroline's engagement ring? Queen Elizabeth I? Elizabeth Taylor?"

"Harry Winston," Klaus corrected. "That ring has never been worn by anyone other than Caroline. She deserved something completely her own. The wedding band, however, once belonged to Marie Antoinette."

"Of course," Stefan rolled his eyes. "Well, she'll like that."

"I hope," Klaus sighed, checking his watch. "What time are we going to the house?"

"We'll leave here at four," Elijah spoke up as he walked into the room with Matt, both dressed in their suits. "Katherine called to let me know she finished her speech and Rebekah approved of it so it must be fine."

"Wow," Stefan breathed. "If my wife approved of something Katherine did, it must be damn near perfect because she'd look for any flaw she could."

Elijah smirked. "Katherine can be pleasant when she chooses. She just doesn't choose that so often."

"Oh, my God," Liz breathed as Caroline turned to the three-way mirror in Rebekah's closet later in the day. "Oh, Caroline, you look stunning."

Caroline stared at her reflection. Her makeup was subtle but flawless, drawing attention to her perfectly pink lips. Her blonde hair had been pulled back loosely into a chignon at the nape of her neck with curls softly framing her face. And her dress—which had been made white—fit her like a glove. For the first time ever, Caroline felt like maybe Klaus wasn't totally lying when he said she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

"Even if I ever wanted to marry Damon, I couldn't because I'd never be able to look as good as you do right now and I'd be terrified you'd outshine me on my wedding day," Elena joked.

"Oh, whatever," Caroline laughed. "You're Elena Gilbert, the girl who always comes first."

"Not anymore," Rebekah shook her head. "Caroline, you're perfection. I know Damon calls me 'Barbie Klaus' behind my back but if little girls saw you right now, they'd honestly think you were Bridal Barbie come to life."

"Guys, Caroline murmured as tears filled her eyes. "Stop it."

Katherine, disguised as a beautiful redhead in a modest (well, modest for Katherine) black dress, leaned against the doorframe. "They're right, princess. If I'm saying you're the hottest girl in the room, you know it's true because it's usually me, disguised or not."

Downstairs, the front door opened and then shut moments later, indicating that the men had returned from the boarding house.

"It's four," Elena determined. "We start in an hour."

"Ahh," Caroline breathed nervously. "In an hour and a half, I'll be married. Forever. To Klaus."

Liz caught her eye. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"What?" Caroline cried. "Oh, God, no! No, I want this more than I've ever wanted anything."

"More than you wanted Miss Mystic?" Bonnie teased.

"Way," Caroline confirmed.

Before anyone could reply, there was a knock at the bedroom door and Damon stuck his head in. "The photographer is here and wants to do pre-ceremony pictures. The guys are going to hide in the art studio." He looked to Caroline. "Wow, Blondie, you look damn good."

"Thank you," she smiled. "You still clean up nicely."

"I try," he smirked. "Now, let's go."

"If she finds out you saw her before the ceremony, she'll kill you," Matt warned Klaus when he caught the Original hybrid peeking out the door of his studio.

"Good thing I'm immortal then," Klaus replied.

"Shut that door, Nik, or Caroline won't come out of my room and you won't have a wife!" Rebekah yelled through the house.

Klaus sighed and closed the door to find Stefan and Elijah admiring his gift for Caroline.

"This is lovely, Niklaus," Elijah said. "It's perhaps the most realistic piece I've ever seen from you."

"Why?" Matt asked, having never seen any of Klaus' work before.

"Well, he usually just paints or draws Caroline alone and that's real but this is both of them and for the first time, it's how _she_ sees herself," Stefan explained. "Klaus has a tendency to put her on a pedestal but all Care wants is to stand beside him."

"Oh," Matt nodded. "Well, it's a nice painting. I'm sorry I don't know much about art but I'm sure she loved it."

"She did," Klaus confirmed. "That's all I wanted."

"What was your gift?" Stefan wondered. "She kept it very secretive from everyone but Rebekah."

"A scrapbook of sorts of who she was before I knew her," Klaus told them. "Photos and mementos of her human life."

Matt chuckled. "So pictures of Girl Scout Caroline and blue ribbons from jump rope contests?"

Klaus smiled. "Precisely."

"Oh, she was unbearable back then," Matt remembered. "All bossy and shallow. It's amazing how much she's changed just since our sophomore year of high school. And you two," he went on, looking at Klaus, "would've hated each other then. She wasn't exactly _'the personification of_ _light'_ as a human."

"You liked her before she turned," Stefan spoke up. "Everyone seems to forget that you came before Tyler. She even serenaded you once."

"She was a vampire then though," Matt pointed out. "She compelled the band to let her sing."

"Caroline sang on a stage?" Klaus asked. "That I would've loved to have seen. She stops immediately if I hear her singing in the shower."

"She was good," Matt recalled. "I'm sure you'll talk her into it someday."

"I'm nervous," Caroline breathed, shaking out her hands as the string quartet outside started playing when it was time for the ceremony to begin.

"Don't be," Liz shook her head as Bonnie and Matt started down the long aisle from the house. "It will be beautiful."

"I know," Caroline nodded, taking deep breaths, "but I haven't seen him today and I know when I do, I'll cry and he'll laugh at me."

"Not today," Stefan shook his head. "He's nervous, too."

"Okay," she breathed again. "That makes me feel better because Klaus never loses his cool."

Elijah and Elena went next and Stefan and Rebekah followed soon after.

"Here we go," Liz whispered as two of Klaus' remaining hybrids shut the doors so the quartet could begin 'Canon in D Major' for Caroline's walk.

"I love you, Mommy," Caroline said softly as the doors opened again and they started down the aisle.

"I love you, too," Liz replied.

"Oh, God," Caroline muttered as she locked eyes with Klaus. "He looks perfect."

Standing under the arch, Klaus thought the same of Caroline as she and Liz made their way towards him. She took his breath away in her fitted white dress and matching veil. He felt his heart clench as she got closer and all he wanted to do was reach out for her. But he waited as she hugged her mother and then surprised himself as he, too, hugged Liz before he took Caroline's hands and faced her.

"Hello, sweetheart," he murmured as tears filled her eyes. "Don't cry."

"I can't help it," she grinned. "You look so nice."

"Me?" he chuckled. "Then you've not seen a mirror, love, because I've never seen a more beautiful sight in the world than what I see in front of me."

Caroline just smiled as Katherine began to speak.

"We're all here today to celebrate the union of Caroline Forbes and Niklaus Mikaelson," Katherine began, knowing Klaus would hate being called his full name by her. "Their journey here has not been an easy one. I've known Klaus for a very long time and he hasn't always been the easiest guy to get along with. He can be guarded and he has a temper that is impossible to deal with but somehow, Caroline manages it. I think it's because she has one to match; she doesn't show it as often. But they are the perfect match. I've seen them grow together over the last eleven years and a love like theirs is a once in a lifetime kind of love."

While Katherine spoke—beautifully, as she'd promised—Caroline and Klaus couldn't take their eyes off each other. It was strange. They'd spent nearly every day together since the night Silas staked Klaus but now, it would be different. Their lives had been side-by-side since then but today, they were becoming one. For eternity.

"Klaus and Caroline have chosen to write their own vows," Katherine went on towards the end of her speech. "And to keep things fair, Stefan and Rebekah had a coin toss, that Rebekah lost, so Caroline will go first."

Caroline closed her eyes briefly before beginning. "I hated you when we met." She paused as the crowd laughed politely. "You were kind of mean and you breezed into town with bad intentions. Everyone was sort of scared of you but I saw past all the pomp and bravado to a guy who was just trying to hide the hurt. You tried so hard to impress and intimidate but I wasn't having that. Eventually, due to various circumstances, we started spending more and more time together and I got to know Nik, the middle brother in a family that had a lot of baggage. And even though I had a boyfriend, I couldn't really help but be drawn to you. You're dark and you have a lot of demons but I wanted to save you from yourself. It took a long time for me to give in and admit how I felt about you but there came a time when I couldn't deny it anymore." Caroline clutched him tighter at the mention of the night of Silas' attack. "And now, for the last eleven years, you've stood by my side through everything and I wouldn't have it any other way." Tears fell down her cheeks and he reached over to wipe them away with his thumbs. "You make me stronger and better. I like who I am when I'm with you. I don't feel like the petty little girl I used to be anymore and that's all because of you. When I first said I wanted to get married, I knew you had no intention of doing it but I managed to convince you that I really wanted it so you proposed because you always say you just want to make me happy. But what you must not understand is that every day I wake up and you're next to me, I'm happy. I love you, Nik, more than anything in the entire world and marrying you is like a dream. And it's one I never want to wake up from. Underneath 'Klaus' is the best friend I could ask for—sorry, Stefan—and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him."

Klaus smiled as she finished. He couldn't have asked for anything more from her and though he'd never admit it out loud, it was nice to hear her admit exactly how she felt about him. It took him a moment to begin.

"You were not part of the plan when I came to Mystic Falls," Klaus began. "Well, you sort of were but that particular snag didn't exactly work out and now, I'm glad it didn't." Those in the loop knew he was referring to her being the intended vampire meant to be sacrificed to release his curse. "You started out as a pretty blonde I thought I might pass time with while I fulfilled my responsibilities here but you ended up so much more than that. I have a reputation that often precedes me but it didn't seem to scare you. You're strong and beautiful and loyal. You'd do anything for your friends and that often meant spend time with me. I didn't like being duped but I did like having you around so I let it happen; I was always one step ahead anyways." Klaus knew most of the people in attendance were completely confused now but he didn't care. "You had a boyfriend when we met and he wasn't exactly my favorite person but I managed to work my way between the two of you successfully and after a year of chasing, I made you mine. But you made me yours, as well. I never thought anyone was good enough to be my equal but most days I don't think myself worthy enough to be yours. In _Dracula_, Bram Stoker wrote, _'There are darknesses in life and there are lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights.'_ Now, I wasn't around when he wrote that but it represents exactly what you are to me: the beacon of light in a sea of darkness. I'm not always a good man but you do make me better. I used to think I could live out my entire existence without finding love but now I know that I was just waiting to meet you. It was circumstance that brought me to Mystic Falls and sheer luck that I met you but I wouldn't take it back now for the world and I'll spend all of forever making this worth your while. I viewed love as a weakness but now I know it is a strength because I love you, Caroline, and I'm stronger than ever. _You_ are the best thing that's ever happened to me and I'm forever grateful to have you by my side."

Caroline, now softly crying, smiled through her tears and traced circles over his hands softly with her thumbs.

Katherine, who'd gotten a little choked up herself, cleared her throat. "Um, the exchanging of rings is symbolic of the bond Klaus and Caroline are committing to today. The ring is a never-ending line that represents their never-ending love." She looked to Stefan. "Give them to me."

"A little nicer, Katerina," Klaus warned under his breath, knowing she'd hear him

Stefan handed over the rings and Katherine gave Klaus the Marie Antoinette ring.

"Place the ring on her third finger and answer my question," Katherine commanded, loving her authority, knowing Klaus wouldn't do anything in front of a crowd. "Do you, Niklaus Mikaelson, take Caroline Forbes to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

Klaus chuckled at the 'lawfully' part but placed the ring on Caroline's slender finger regardless. "I do."

Katherine handed Caroline the silver band she'd chosen for Klaus. "Do you, Caroline Forbes, take Niklaus Mikaelson to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Caroline beamed as she slid the ring on his appropriate finger, admiring how it looked there.

"Then, with the power vested in me by , I hear by declare you husband and wife. Klaus, you can kiss the princess," Katherine told them.

Klaus pulled Caroline to him and kissed her softly, knowing she'd be embarrassed by anything more.

"I love you," she whispered, pressing her forehead to his.

"I love you, too, Mrs. Mikaelson," he replied.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Klaus Mikaelson!" Katherine cried as Caroline linked her arm through her husband's so they could make their way back up the aisle to the house.

While the guests were ushered into the ballroom by Damon and Katherine—a hilarious pair to watch work together—the wedding party was whisked away to the gardens for photos as a group.

"We're married," Caroline said in slight disbelief as she and Klaus posed together alone. "Part of me never actually thought this day would happen."

"Sweetheart, you could've told me you wanted a wedding as soon as I woke up from Silas' attack and I'd have given you one," he replied, holding her close. "All you ever had to do was ask."

"I know," she nodded, "but I wanted to wait until we'd been together long enough for you to be sure you wouldn't get bored with me after a while."

"Bored with you?" he repeated. "Caroline, I couldn't. You're the only person I actually enjoy going head-to-head with because I always know how it will end—in our bed. I've never had a moment of boredom with you at my side and I can't imagine a time that I ever will."

"Your vows were lovely," she complimented him. "Made me feel nice."

"Good," he grinned, caressing her cheek gently, "because that's how yours made me feel."

"I liked your stuff about Bram Stoker," she added. "About you 'not being around' when he wrote _Dracula_."

"I was around," he told her. "I gave him a great deal of inspiration."

"I'm sure," she giggled. "It must've been easy to write about vampires when he had one hanging out with him."

"He was a strange man," Klaus recalled. "A tad obsessed with Kol, if I remember correctly."

"Weird," she laughed.

"God, they're cute," Bonnie muttered to Elena as the two girls watched Klaus and Caroline laugh together. "Never, in a billion years, did I think that I would ever say anything about Klaus was 'cute' and yet, here I am, a bridesmaid in his wedding, happy that he's just married my best friend."

Elena smirked. "It's weird, I know. I'm the one who's about to pack up and move in with him."

"You'll have Damon, Caroline, and Stefan there, too," Bonnie reminded her.

"Sure, along with Rebekah, who hates my guts, and regular visits from Katherine, who has tried to kill me more times than I can count," Elena deadpanned.

"Someone is projecting," Bonnie analyzed. "You're scared to finally leave Mystic Falls. You're scared to start actually living life like a vampire because being home, you've been able to live life as much like you always have as possible."

"I guess," Elena sighed, looking back at the newlyweds. "It will be nice to spend time with Caroline though."

"I think that's enough photos," Caroline declared after her cheeks started to ache from smiling so much.

"Thank God," Matt muttered. "It's hot as hell out here."

"Damon, let the DJ know we're all ready out here," Stefan spoke, knowing his brother would hear him from inside.

"If I could get everyone's attention!" Damon called out over the guests inside. "The wedding party is ready to join us."

Tyler, who was seated at a table with old friends from high school, watched as everyone walked into the ballroom. He chuckled at Matt, who was tugging at his tie, and rolled his eyes at Rebekah, who walked in with her nose high up in the air. And then, as Caroline and Klaus made their way in, he felt as though he'd been kicked in the stomach. People could say what they wanted about him not coming back to her when Klaus had given him permission and they could think that he didn't care enough but that couldn't have been further from the truth. Tyler had loved Caroline Forbes more than anything and he'd stayed away after a while because he wanted her to be happy and he didn't think he could give her that anymore. He just had no idea it would end up sending her into Klaus' arms.

"You look upset, Lockwood," Jason Fell said. "Sad your girlfriend married another dude?"

"Shut up, dick," Tyler grumbled as he shoved away from the table and stormed off.

Caroline and Klaus had agreed to eat first, let Stefan and Rebekah give their speeches, and then dance. But before they could sit down to eat, they had to greet their guests.

"Ready to meet some family?" she whispered as she led him to the table that her mother's siblings and their significant others were seated at. "Uncle Ben and Aunt Sherri, Aunt Denise and Uncle Peter, my cousin Hannah and her husband, and my cousin Vince."

"Okay," he nodded as they reached the table.

"Caroline!" an older blonde woman, Aunt Denise, cried as she jumped up to hug her niece. "Oh, sweetie, you look just beautiful. And this wedding is gorgeous!"

"Yeah, way to go," Hannah added. "Marrying a rich guy."

"Thank you for coming," Caroline smiled, ignoring Hannah's uncouthness. "Um, everyone, this is my husband, Klaus. Klaus, this is my mom's family."

Klaus shook hands and exchanged hellos with them all. Caroline knew he didn't care about a single one of them but he was doing it for her, so she reached for his hand and held it tightly.

"What do you do, Klaus?" her uncle Peter wanted to know.

"Finance," Klaus lied smoothly. "I work from offices in London."

"We'll come find you guys again in a little bit," Caroline said as she dragged Klaus away. "Sorry about them."

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it, love. I can play nice; I do it all the time."

"Well, it isn't easy with them," she replied. "I get my 'crazy' from my mother's side."

"I like your 'crazy,'" he assured her, taking her into his arms. "It's part of the reason I fell in love with you."

"Oh, really?" she laughed.

He laughed with her for a moment before something over her shoulder caught his eye. "Since I was so kind to your family, perhaps you could extend the same courtesy to my friends?"

Caroline followed his gaze to the New Orleans table. "Ugh, really? I mean, I like Sophie and Davina, and Marcel is mostly all right, but can't I be done dealing with Camille?"

"Last time," he told her, leading her to the table. "After this, we'll stay away from New Orleans until Camille has passed."

"Fine," she muttered, reaching the table. "Hi, guys. Thanks for coming."

"You two really know how to put on a show," Sophie breathed, standing to hug Caroline. "This is incredible. And when can I meet the Bennett witch?"

"Bonnie?" Caroline asked. "Oh, I'll introduce you guys soon," she promised, eyeing Davina, as well.

"Caroline, you are a vision," Marcel smirked as he stood to take his turn hugging the newlyweds. "And you don't clean up so bad either, buddy."

"Thank you, mate," Klaus accepted. "Camille, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Sure," Camille shrugged. "It was a nice wedding. I like your dress. The food is good."

Caroline bit the inside of her cheek to keep from snapping back at her. "I'm glad you like it."

"Hey, Caroline, come meet Ryan!" Liz called from the next table over.

"Okay," Caroline agreed quickly, relieved to be away from Camille.

Liz took Caroline's hand as Caroline stood in front of a tall man with light brown hair. "Ryan Danvers, this is my daughter, Caroline. Caroline, this is Ryan."

Ryan offered a hand. "It's nice to finally meet you, Caroline. Your mom talks about you constantly. Thank you for having me today."

"Oh, we're more than happy to," Caroline beamed. "I just want to see my mom with someone who respects her and takes care of her. Can you do that?"

"Caroline," Liz warned.

Ryan laughed. "It's okay, Lizzie. And yes, I believe I can do that." He wrapped an arm around Liz's waist. "Your mom is a special woman."

"I think so, too," Caroline agreed. "Would you like to meet my husband?" She giggled. "I like to call him that; he's been just my boyfriend for eleven years."

"I would love to meet him," Ryan nodded.

"Klaus!" Caroline said to him over her shoulder. "Come here, please."

"He must have bionic hearing," Ryan chuckled as Klaus walked towards them. "Or he's just so attuned to your voice. I barely heard you and you're right in front of me."

"Just attuned," Klaus declared as he reached them. He offered a hand. "Klaus Mikaelson. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ryan Danvers," the mayor's aide replied, shaking Klaus' hand. "It's nice to meet you, too. Lizzie says you take excellent care of her little girl."

Klaus smiled. "We take care of each other."

"Yes," Caroline agreed. "And we also take care of my mom so if you don't, we'll know about it."

"Sweetheart," Klaus murmured. "Your mother is a grown woman and the sheriff. I think she's fully capable of taking care of herself."

Liz nodded at Klaus. "Thank you." She checked her watch. "I think it's time to eat now though."

"What is it we're having again?" Klaus whispered to Caroline as they made their way across the room, back to their small table.

"Rebekah chose some fancy, sit-down meal," Caroline remembered. "A choice of filet or some kind of chicken. I'm not very hungry but we have to keep up appearances for a little while longer. Just a few more hours til we're on a private plane to the Maldives for two weeks without any interruptions."

"I do like the sound of that," Klaus said as he pulled out her chair for her. "So, just how rare is this steak?"

"Gross," she muttered.

Klaus just laughed quietly.

"If I could get everyone's attention, please?" Stefan requested as he stood up while everyone ate, looking down to the newlyweds. "I met Klaus a long time ago, before I came back to Mystic Falls when I was seventeen, and we were friends. But we had a bit of a falling out and when he came here, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see him. And like Caroline said, he was kind of mean to us all, particularly me for a while. Once he gave up on me, he set his sets on Caroline and it's been a interesting ride these last eleven years. We travel in a tight circle and it's never easy but they have a love that could last multiple lifetimes." He shot his brother a glare as Damon gave a loud 'ha!' at this. "Caroline is my best friend in the entire world and I wouldn't be who I am today without her. And Klaus? I think I know better who I am and what I'm capable of because of him. He can be cold and calculating and maybe even sociopathic at times but really, if he were anything else, he wouldn't be Klaus. People might like him more if he were, but that would just be weird. Rebekah and I agreed we would keep our speeches short and sweet so I'll wrap it up by saying that Care and Klaus aren't the most conventional couple in the world, given their beginnings, but they love each other and that's all I could want for my best friend." He raised his champagne glass. "To the Mikaelson's!"

Rebekah gave her husband an amused look as she stood up from her seat beside him. "My husband thinks he's so charming sometimes. Obviously, Nik has been my brother my entire life and sometimes, I feel as though we've lived a dozen lifetimes together. Our parents weren't the best and we've lost siblings all the way but even when we were having the fights of our lives, I knew I could always count on him. And then Caroline Forbes came along. For so long, I'd been the only girl in Nik's life but once he met her, I was cast aside for her and it hurt. I was jealous of the attention he gave her and the ways he went out of his way for her because Caroline and I are incredibly similar in many ways and there was some competition between us when Nik and I came to Mystic Falls. I can admit that I was jealous of everything Caroline had at the time but we've worked past all that now. She's my closest friend and having her around all the time is nice. She keeps Nik in line and that's nearly impossible to do." She looked down at the couple, tears in her eyes. "I consider myself incredibly lucky to call them family and I look forward to watching them fall in love over and over again." She raised her glass. "To Nik and Caroline!"

Caroline and Klaus stood to hug Stefan and Rebekah. Caroline cried as Stefan wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't cry, Care," he whispered.

"Can't help it," she laughed.

"If I could steal my wife away now, I believe I owe her a first dance," Klaus spoke up, taking Caroline's hands to lead her to the dance floor as 'Turning Page' by Sleeping at Last played through the speakers.

Caroline smiled as Klaus pulled her to him, taking one hand in his and placing his other hand around her waist. "This song was in a _Twilight_ movie."

"So Rebekah told me after I'd selected it," he nodded. "I considered changing it but it works so well. And I thought you might like a song you recognized."

"I do," Caroline confirmed. "And you're right; it's a good song for us." She kissed him softly. "This day has been completely perfect, Nik. Thank you."

"Caroline, I'm going to give you the best of everything if I can," he assured her. "There's very little I'd ever say _'no'_ to you about." He frowned. "I'm sorry I can't give you children."

"No," she shook her head, using the hand around his shoulders to caress his cheek. "Don't be sorry about that because it isn't your fault. And besides, I don't need kids; taking care of you is time-consuming enough."

Klaus smirked and kissed her again. "Maybe one day we'll get a dog of our own and you can let the Greene's keep Penny to themselves."

"Yes!" she agreed emphatically. "But I don't want a yappy little 'purse' dog. I want a husky. It's kind of like a wolf, right?"

"Not really," he shook his head, "but if that's what you want, a husky you shall have."

Caroline looked around and noticed that everyone was watching them intently. "I feel like I'm on display?"

"Is that bad?" he wondered.

"Of course not," she denied happily. "In case you've forgotten, I like attention." She pressed her forehead to his. "Particularly if it's coming from you."

"Well, you'll have that forever," he whispered as the song ended.

"Good," she whispered back.

Damon picked up the microphone again. "So, since Klaus' mother is dead and Caroline's father passed away, they've decided to share dances with his sister and her longtime best friend instead."

At this, Rebekah and Stefan joined them on the dance floor as 'When You're Smiling' began to play.

"Told you," Stefan murmured into Caroline's ear. "This song was from our time in Chicago. Gloria sang it in her bar."

Caroline rested her cheek on his shoulder. "I'll bet you guys had a blast back then."

"Well, it was certainly something," Stefan remembered. "I was the Ripper and they were hiding from Mikael. We just happened to have a period of time together that was enjoyable but we were surrounded by terrible circumstances."

"I guess," she sighed. "I just always wonder what it might've been like to know him in another era."

Stefan chuckled. "He was pretty much the same, just not a hybrid. It's amazing that a hundred years can go by and some people never change. And yet, he has. That's because of you, Care. You make people actually want him around. He doesn't have to intimidate and threaten anymore; that's all you."

Klaus smiled briefly as he listened to Stefan's words. "Do people only like me now because of Caroline?"

"Yes," Rebekah confirmed. "but that's not a bad thing. Caroline just brings out the best version of you. I mean, I know there's an even better Nik in there that only she knows but the one we all get to see now isn't so bad and that's to her credit." She noticed the strange look on his face. "You're good for her, too. She's stronger and more confident now. She doesn't let people walk all over her and that's certainly your influence. Not that you'd actually let anyone do that to her but now, neither would she. That's one reason I'm interested to see how it goes when Elena and Damon join us. The doppelgänger has always had a way of making Caroline feel second best but I don't see that happening anymore and Elena won't know how to deal with that."

"From what I can tell, Elena and Caroline have mended their friendship," Klaus explained. "I expect this six-month stay should be smooth, so long as Damon behaves."

"What if they want to stay longer?" Rebekah asked.

"Trust me, we won't," Damon spoke up quietly from where he stood with Elena and Bonnie.

"Just til Christmas," Elena added. "I'd like to travel for a while after that."

"I was all for traveling now," Damon said.

"Then by all means," Klaus offered him.

"Can you two stop?" Caroline requested, joining the conversation. "This day has been perfect and I won't have it ruined now by you two arguing."

"Sorry, Blondie," Damon apologized. "I did promise Elena I'd give you your day."

"How benevolent," Klaus scoffed.

The rest of the night went off without a hitch. Caroline got to know her mom's boyfriend better, she chatted with old friends, and she attempted to hook Bonnie up with Marcel; it didn't work but the witch did comment her valiant effort.

"I'm just trying to save him from Camille," Caroline sighed. "He's so obsessed with her and she doesn't ever care. She's too in love with my husband."

Bonnie opened her mouth to respond but shut it quickly as something over Caroline's shoulder caught her eye.

"Um, can I borrow the bride?" Tyler asked cautiously from behind.

Caroline turned to face him. "Sure. I'll find you in a little bit," she added to Bonnie.

Tyler led Caroline out of the ballroom to the empty foyer. He looked around quietly for a long time before he spoke.

"You know, Matt told me once about the ball they had here when I was off fighting the sire bond," he told her. "How huge it was and how extravagant. He also said you danced with Klaus and it was pretty obvious back then that something was going on, even if you couldn't admit it yet." He looked at her. "He waited until you and Klaus had been together a while to tell me all that though; he thought I might lose it."

"Yeah, well, wolves have tempers," she joked. "I should know, I just married the alpha of all alphas. If it makes you feel any better, I tried for a very long time to suppress my feelings for him."

"I know," Tyler nodded. "It doesn't make me feel any better, but I believe that." He sighed. "I guess what makes this all so hard is that I can't forgive and forget. I can't even come close to that. When I look at him, I still just see red and it takes everything in me not to attack him. Even now, at your wedding, I want to go in there and rip his head off."

"He'd kill you before you could lay a hand on him," Caroline pointed out quietly.

"Yeah, I know that, too," he muttered. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" she wanted to know.

"Love him," Tyler replied.

"It's natural," she answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Loving Klaus is like breathing; I just do. I understand why you can't get that, but it's the truth. He's smart and loyal and kind...to me. He puts me first and loves me unconditionally."

"He's a monster," Tyler interrupted.

"No," she denied. "Klaus has his flaws, just like everyone else. Some of his are more prominent than others but he isn't a monster. He can feel remorse. I'm sorry that this hurts you, Tyler, but it's reality now and after tonight, you'll never see us again if that's what you want. He won't bother you anymore."

Tyler was quiet for a long time. "He takes care of you? Makes you happy and all that?"

"Yes," Caroline smiled. "On both accounts. I want you to find that, too."

"Maybe someday," he shrugged, reaching out to hug her. "If you're happy, Care, then I am, too. I'll never be able to accept Klaus but you love him so I won't fight."

"Good," she whispered before pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

When he pulled away, instead of heading back to the ballroom, he went to the door. "Goodbye, Caroline."

"Bye, Tyler," she breathed as he left the mansion. She wasn't certain but Caroline felt pretty sure Tyler Lockwood had just walked out of her life for good.

"You all right, sweetheart?" Klaus called to her from his place at the entrance from the ballroom.

"Yeah," she confirmed, going to him. "Tyler was just saying goodbye."

"It sounded very final," he noticed, holding her hand as they re-joined their remaining guests.

"I think it was," Caroline replied. "But it's for the best. Tyler is a werewolf who happens to have vampire capabilities and he's never going to be anything else."

Klaus tucked her under his arm. "Are you ready to go?"

This brightened her up immediately.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "It's honeymoon time?"

"I believe it is," he nodded, noticing that most people had already left. "Bekah?"

Rebekah appeared before them to whisk Caroline away. "Come. You can't be on a 19-hour flight in a lace wedding gown."

Upstairs in her bedroom, Caroline found a travel outfit set out next to her luggage.

"I didn't even think of this," she realized as Rebekah helped her out of her dress.

"I know," Rebekah smirked. "But you had it ready for me after my wedding so it makes sense that I had it ready for you."

Caroline pulled on the comfortable skirt and blouse combination. "So you guys are going to pack things up here and we'll meet you back in London?"

"Yes," Rebekah told her, handing over a pair of Marc Jacobs flats. "And don't worry, Elena and Damon will be with us."

"Cool," Caroline grinned. "Be nice to her, Bek. Elena has barely ever left Mystic Falls so it's going to be a major adjustment for her."

"Stefan has had this talk with me every night since Nik and I agreed to this," Rebekah grumbled. "I will be a welcoming hostess, I promise."

"Thank you," Caroline said, hugging her sister-in-law tightly. "For everything."

Rebekah hugged her back. "Of course."

Downstairs, Damon and Katherine (now back to herself) had cleared out the last lingering guests and a crew had come in to start cleaning up. Klaus stood at the bottom of the staircase with Elijah, luggage in hand, waiting for Caroline.

"Come on, princess!" Katherine yelled up. "I want to sleep but Elijah says I have to see you two off first."

"I'm coming," Caroline said as she and Rebekah appeared, carrying the vintage Louis Vuitton luggage Klaus had given her as a Christmas gift one year early in their relationship.

Elena stepped forward to hug her first. "Have fun, Care. I can't wait to hang out together when you get back."

"Me, too," Caroline assured her, looking at Damon. "Try not to damage my house, okay? I've spent seven years perfecting it."

"I will be the epitome of a perfect guest," he smirked, patting her on the head.

"I expect to see you two over there soon, too," Caroline warned Matt and Bonnie as she pulled them into a shared hug. They just laughed and nodded their consent.

"Have a nice time, Caroline," Elijah offered next. "Rebekah mentioned the two of you are planning a trip to Paris when you return and we'd be happy to have you stay with us."

"Thanks," she smiled, eyeing Katherine. "I prefer you this way."

"Well, I don't love looking exactly like Saint Elena but I do, too," she agreed. "I don't hug, just so you know."

"I would expect nothing less," Caroline laughed. "I'll see you soon, Kat." Finally, she turned to Stefan. "Don't let your wife kill Elena in her sleep."

"Rebekah could kill _me_ in my sleep if she wanted," he joked, "so I'd have no chance of stopping her if that was her desire but I'll keep the peace. You are better at it though. I sure hope these two weeks go by quickly."

She hugged him. "Thanks for being my best friend."

"I think I'm the one who should be grateful," he whispered into her hair.

Klaus moved to the door and then turned to his wife. "Caroline, love, we should get going."

"Okay," she nodded, walking to take his hand in hers as they headed outside to the waiting SUV.

"Are you ready, Mrs. Mikaelson?" he asked her once they were situated in the backseat.

Keeping their hands intertwined, Caroline rested her head on his shoulder. "More than ready, Mr. Mikaelson."

"Then to the airport, James," Klaus commanded of their driver. "I owe this beautiful woman a honeymoon."

"You owe me nothing," she told him softly, closing her eyes. "You've already given me everything."

Klaus just smiled and pressed the lightest of kisses to her forehead. "Not yet, but I have an eternity with you to try."

* * *

**And so, we've reached the end... **

**Or have we? I have ideas floating around for an epilogue that might involve Christmas with the crew in London (including some hilarious Klaus/Damon interaction) that I could possibly be persuaded to write. Let's say if this story gets to 200 reviews, I'll share that brief epilogue before I go to work on _In Another Life_ (if you haven't read the first chapter yet, check it out). Let me know what you think and if you're interested in the epilogue, tell me some good Christmas presents. They can be to anyone or from anyone. You guys are the best. Thanks!**


	11. Epilogue

**Oh, man, finishing up this story has been like pulling teeth. It turns out, I have little motivation in the summer to do much of any kind of writing. I also had two summer classes to take and they took up a lot more of my time than I expected. I did, however, finish up the epilogue and this is it. It's been a wild ride with you all and I'm glad you liked the story so much. I feel like I've been properly initiated into the Klaroline family now. I'm getting back to _In Another Life_ now that I've wrapped this up so look for that in the next few weeks (hopefully; I actually make no promises on a date). Let me know what you think about the ending because you guys have given such great feedback. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.**

* * *

_Six months later..._

"It looks like a department store's holiday display exploded in here," Katherine muttered in wonder as she and Elijah walked into the London manor on the morning of Christmas Eve. "Caroline or Rebekah?"

"Both, I'd imagine," Elijah replied as Stefan emerged from the long hallway to their right.

"Hey, guys," the younger Salvatore brother greeted them. "Merry Christmas."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Where's Caroline? She's the only person I actually like around here."

"In their wing, finishing up her gift-wrapping," Stefan reported. "Rebekah and Elena are shopping, Damon is out doing God knows what, and Klaus is painting."

"Of course," Elijah smirked. "Well, I think Katerina and I will settle in for now. Where are we staying?"

"Caroline requested you stay in their wing," Stefan reported. The house in London was more like an estate, with a west wing—Klaus and Caroline's and an east wing—Stefan and Rebekah's—and a common area in the middle, though both wings had full kitchens and living quarters in them. "You can have your pick of rooms there because Damon and Elena have been staying in ours."

Katherine took Elijah's hand and led him to the in-house elevator that would take them to the third floor of the west wing. After choosing a room and leaving him to unpack, she went off in search of Caroline.

"Hi, Kat," Caroline called out from her bedroom.

"This is one of those times I regret killing you because vampires are so damn hard to sneak up on," Katherine grumbled as she pushed open the door to the room. "Oh, my God."

The room was covered from wall to wall in gifts of all shapes and sizes.

"I love Christmas," Caroline gushed, "so I tend to go a little overboard. Don't worry, several of these are yours."

"Elijah's having ours delivered this afternoon," Katherine explained, sitting in a chair near where Caroline was wrapping on the floor. "Stefan said Rebekah and Elena are out shopping together. How'd you manage that?"

"I didn't," Caroline denied. "It was all Stefan's doing. I did my best to keep them apart, thinking that was safest, but it was important to him that they became friends so he made it happen. I _still_ think it's weird and they've been fine now for almost three months and I actually think Rebekah and Stefan are going to travel with Damon and Elena for a while after the holidays."

"Wow," Katherine breathed. "So you and Klaus will have this whole house to yourselves?"

"No," Caroline shook her head. "We're gonna leave, too. It's not easy being newlyweds when you live with four other people, even in a house this big, so we're gonna stay at the place in Chicago for a while. He loves the city and we haven't really stayed there since we've been together. We just went for a weekend once."

"Elijah and I are leaving Paris in March," Katherine stated. "He'd like to go back to New Orleans to check in there but I'm interested in California. I've never spent much time there and he's never been. Can you imagine? Alive for over a thousand years and never seeing California?"

"Klaus hates it," Caroline laughed softly, adding a bow to her last gift for Damon. _'Too much sun, too many bad drivers,'_ he says. I'm neutral about it. It's fun for a little while but I couldn't stay too long."

"Elijah doesn't think he'll like it," Katherine shrugged, "but I'll convince him. Is your mom here?"

"No, when we all went home for Thanksgiving, she said that she was going to meet Ryan's family for Christmas in St. Louis so that's where they are," Caroline reported. "I think he's going to propose."

"Oh, yeah?" Katherine mused. "Does he know about...everything?"

"No, but if he proposes, I said we'd tell him together," Caroline replied. "I like Ryan and he's good to her and Klaus even thinks he's okay for you know, a human."

"What a glowing compliment," Katherine rolled her eyes as the door swung open and Klaus walked in. "Speak of the devil."

"Oh, you're here," Klaus deadpanned. "Where's Elijah?"

"Unpacking," Katherine said, standing up. "I guess I'll go help him." She patted Klaus' shoulder as she walked past him. "Lovely to see you, as always, Niklaus." She flashed away before he could retaliate.

"All finished in here, love?" he asked, changing out of his paint-stained t-shirt.

"Yep," she beamed, standing to admire her work. "An even ten presents for everyone. Except you, of course."

He groaned. "You bought Damon the same amount you bough Stefan? That hardly seems fair."

"He's only going to be here for two more days," she reasoned, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her hands up his bare back. "And then we'll be off to Chicago and you won't have to see him for a while."

"Now that I like the sound of," he smiled, pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "As coordinator of all holiday events, what are the plans for this evening?"

"Ice skating," she whispered. "Before you get mad, Damon has never been and Elena begged! It will be fun, I promise."

"I prefer to spend as little time with Damon Salvatore as possible," he reminded her. "I've done a fairly good job at avoiding him for the last six months."

Caroline slid her hands down his back to the waistband of his jeans. "But if you go, I'll be inclined to reward you later."

"The things I do for you," he murmured. "I will go and watch you skate."

"Oh, no," she denied. "If I skate, you skate. We're a package deal now, Mikaelson. If you do it, think of all the ways we can recreate our honeymoon tonight though. You know, we've never has sex in the snow. That might be fun."

Klaus clenched his jaw and let his head drop to her shoulder. "All right, fine, I'll skate. But I won't like it."

"Of course not," she smirked, backing away from him. "But I didn't like that stupid art class you made me take so this is like payback."

"Payback?" he repeated. "Caroline, sweetheart, I caved and bought you a car for that one art class you went to."

"I deserved a car of my own!" she cried. "I don't need to be driven around everywhere. I'm an independent woman."

"Oh, I know," he nodded, walking to the en suite bathroom. "You don't like to let me do anything for you."

Caroline scoffed. "That's because you want to do everything! I'm not some fragile little doll, Nik. I don't need constant protection."

He flashed back to stand in front of her again. "I don't know how to make you understand that if anything were to ever happen to you, it would kill me. I would be begging your mother for the last white oak stake and I'd let Katerina drive it right through my heart. So yes, maybe I am a tad overprotective but I can't help it. You are my entire world, sweetheart."

She placed her hands on either side of his face. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'd be too afraid to leave you alone with Katherine and Damon around."

He sighed. "Let's not talk about this anymore. It's depressing."

"You're right," she agreed. "And the holidays shouldn't be depressing. They're about family and being with people you love and—"

"If they're about being with people I love, why is there anyone here other than you?" Klaus interrupted.

"Stop it," she warned. "You love Rebekah and Elijah and Stefan. And you'll learn to love the others over time. Maybe. I hope."

"Don't hold your breath on it," he advised, returning to the bathroom.

"It wouldn't matter if I did," she smirked, following behind him. "I'm already dead."

"Ha-ha," he chuckled humorlessly. "I'm going to take a shower. Would you care to join me?"

"I should be a good hostess and make sure Elijah and Katherine are settling in all right," she murmured as he started to undress, "but I'm sure they can fend for themselves." She slammed the door behind her.

"Princess says you and Stefan are planning to travel with Damon and Saint Elena after the holidays," Katherine said to Rebekah as they arranged gifts around the massive tree in the shared parlor that afternoon. "How did that come about? Last time we saw you all, you hated her."

"She's not so terrible," Rebekah shrugged, "and I like seeing how happy Stefan is about having his brother around. I know what it's like to spend long periods of time hating a sibling and I know how nice it is to be getting along so I want him to have that for as long as possible."

"But traveling with both Salvatore brothers?" Katherine scoffed, adjusting a bow on a gift for Caroline. "Sounds like a form of torture."

"For you, perhaps," Rebekah agreed, "but I never played them against each other and then turned them."

Katherine rolled her eyes. "That was over 150 years ago; it's time they get over it."

"I don't think that's possible," Damon spoke up as he walked in from Stefan and Rebekah's wing. "You let me think you were in that tomb for 140-something years all while you pined for my baby bro. And then you tried to kill Elena more than a few times and aided in the terrible things Klaus put us through."

"I hid from that monster for 500 years!" Katherine exclaimed. "Why would I ever help him?!"

"To help yourself, of course," Damon reasoned. "That's all you've ever cared about."

"Not anymore," Katherine denied softly. "I care about Caroline and I love Elijah. I hate you," she told Damon, "and your brother and Klaus but you," she added to the female Original, "aren't so bad anymore."

"Wow," Stefan mused as he approached. "Katherine Pierce almost needs two hands to count the people she cares about."

"Okay, let's all play nice," Caroline advised as she and Klaus came from their wing. "We're only going to be together for a few days so I think we can all manage to call a truce."

"Easy for you to request, sweetheart," Klaus spoke up. "You like everyone here and the feelings are mutual. The rest of us each have an adversary."

"Not Elijah," Caroline shook her head.

"Okay, so the voice of reason and Mary Sunshine don't have enemies," Damon muttered. "What a surprise."

"I don't," Rebekah added. "Elena and I get along now." She beamed at her husband. "I have no enemies here."

Stefan grinned. "I'm so proud."

"Well, now that we've established who hates who," Klaus began, "can we settle plans for the evening? I have things I need to finish for tomorrow."

Caroline furrowed her brow at her husband. "What do you have to finish? I already wrapped everything."

"I couldn't exactly let you prepare your own gifts," he explained. "And I'm ready for the most part but I have one last detail to tie up."

"Well, I was thinking we could head to the park at seven," Caroline suggested, shelving that conversation with Klaus for later.

"I'm a little foggy but when did I agree to ice skating?" Damon wondered.

"You didn't," Elena denied, "but I agreed for you. You've never been and we used to do it all the time when we were kids."

"We did," Caroline remembered. "Matt was so bad at it. He always needed one of those little walkers to stay upright."

"And Tyler would tease him mercilessly," Elena added.

Klaus tensed at mention of Tyler. "Let's not ruin the evening so soon with mention of things long past."

Caroline slid her hand into his comfortingly. "Let's just all be ready and meet in the foyer at seven."

"Well, it's only four-thirty now so I'm going to take a shower then," Rebekah declared, disappearing back to her wing with Stefan in tow.

"And I'm going to step out for a bit," Klaus added, pulling away from his wife. "But I promise I'll return in time."

She went with him to the front door. "Where are you going?"

"It's a surprise, love," he answered. "If I tell you, that will ruin it." He leaned in and kissed her softly. "I won't be too long."

Before she could protest, he disappeared out the front door.

"I can see the worry on your face," Damon spoke up as he walked up behind her. "It'll give you wrinkles."

"It's just unnerving," she admitted. "He doesn't keep secrets from me and he's been so weird lately."

"But you know it's a gift for you," Damon said, nudging her gently with his shoulder.

"I hate surprises," she replied. "I don't know. He's just taken a lot of phone calls lately and I'm worried that Chicago isn't going to happen and we're going to end up somewhere where he has business to take care of."

Damon frowned. "Well, if you don't want to do that, you're welcome to travel with us for a while."

"I want to be with my husband," she whined. "I just want him to put his damn phone down for a night."

"Tell him that, Blondie," he advised. "You're the only person he actively listens to. If he knew he was making you worry, he'd address it."

"I just don't want to sound like I'm nagging," Caroline sighed.

"Klaus probably needs a little nagging in his life," Damon determined. "It'll knock him down a few pegs."

Caroline just shook her head and headed down the long hallway to her side of the house.

"My wife is getting suspicious," Klaus murmured as he stood with his supplier, Johan. "I don't do much without discussing it with her and she knows nothing of this."

Johan chuckled. "Some things are better kept from the wives."

"You don't know mine," Klaus explained, eyeing his order. "She has some dormant insecurities that emerge when she thinks I'm keeping secrets."

"Well, I'm sure you'll make it up to her with this," Johan assured him. "You ever done this before?"

"Never," Klaus denied. "I've done quite a few things in my day but never this."

"Let's go back to my office and I'll tell you everything you'll need to know," Johan said, leading Klaus down a back hallway of the building.

"Call him again," Elena requested of Caroline as they stood in the foyer at quarter after seven. "He said he'd be back by now."

Caroline groaned and dialed Klaus' phone again. "It's going straight to his voicemail every time."

"Maybe we should shoot up flares, pretend you're in danger?" Damon suggested. "He'd come running."

Elena shoved him. "He'd rip out your heart for suggesting far less. "

Before Caroline could open her mouth, Klaus walked through the front door.

"You're late, brother," Elijah chastised him.

"My apologies," Klaus replied, looking to Caroline. "I had business to attend to."

She looked away from him. "Let's just go."

"Good thing you're part wolf because you'll be sleeping in the doghouse tonight," Damon joked.

Klaus ignored him caught up to Caroline as they made their way outside to the waiting cars. "You're mad."

"Nope," she denied, popping the 'p' with emphasis. "I'm just ready to ice skate."

"I'm sorry I was late," he apologized, reaching for her gloved hand.

Caroline pulled her hand away. "No, you aren't, because you're only deigning to do this. If the tables were turned, and you'd planned this night, I never would've been late." She climbed into the last seat of the front car with Elena and Damon, leaving him to the SUV with the others.

"Come on, Nik," Rebekah called to him. "She'll get over it."

He sat in the front seat and looked out the window. "I didn't intend to be late."

"Where were you?" Stefan asked him.

"Preparing for Caroline's last gift," Klaus explained.

"And it took all day?" Katherine scoffed. "Are you building her a castle?"

"If I thought she wanted one, I would," he answered coolly, "but no, it isn't a castle."

Elijah eyed his brother. "But it's something you're worried about. You think she won't like it?"

"I know she will," Klaus said.

"Then what is the bloody problem?" Rebekah demanded.

"I don't know that I will," was his simple response.

When they arrived at the park, Caroline and Elena went ahead and got skates for everyone, bringing them back to the cars quickly.

"It looks like they're closed," Damon noticed.

"They are," Caroline confirmed. "I didn't think you'd want strangers watching you fall on your ass all night so I compelled the man to let us have the rink for a while."

"I'm a vampire," Damon reminded her. "Stealth-like reflexes and all."

Caroline only smirked. "We'll see."

Stefan watched as the four girls laced up their skates and made their way to the ice rink gracefully, as if they'd been skating every day of their lives. "They make it all look so easy."

"How can I acquit myself?" Klaus asked him once his own skates were on.

"Just pray it's a really good present," Stefan chuckled. "Caroline likes thoughtful gifts so if that's what it is, she'll forgive you. You just might have to wait until tomorrow morning."

"Which means you should probably expect to sleep in a guest room," Damon added.

Caroline watched as Klaus stood at the edge of the rink while the three other couples skated together later in the evening. Even Elijah, the most straight-laced person she'd ever known, seemed to be having a good time with Katherine holding his hand. Klaus, however, had avoided her most of the night and she knew he was giving her space. With a frown, she skated over to him.

"Hello, sweetheart," he greeted her softly. "You skate beautifully."

"Come on," she sighed, grabbing his hands and dragging him out onto the ice. "You're sulking and it's making everyone feel sorry for you—which they totally shouldn't—but I'm tired of skating by myself. When I planned this night, I didn't intend for us to be arguing and I won't let you being late ruin that for me."

Klaus just chuckled and let her lead them. Having Caroline speak to him, even angry, was better than her ignoring him all night.

"I'd forgive you faster if you'd just tell me where you were," she told him.

"If I do that, love, it will ruin the surprise of it all," he explained, rubbing gentle circles on her hand with his thumb. "Please, just know that it is for you and hopefully, you will enjoy it."

"I don't like surprises," she said softly. "I've been kidnapped and tortured one time too many to appreciate them."

Klaus tensed at mention of her dark past.

"But I'm okay now," she assured him, sensing his blood boiling. "I'm happy even, though I don't much care for my husband keeping secrets."

"Only til the morning," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Fine," she grumbled. "But you're still sleeping in a guest room."

"Told you," Damon smirked in their direction, having eavesdropped on their conversation.

Before he knew what was happening, Damon found himself thrown back, landing in a pile of snow.

"Klaus!" Elena cried, running to his side. "Was that necessary?"

"Probably not," Klaus denied, "but I enjoyed it. Damon should be more careful when he listens to things he shouldn't."

Elena looked to her friend. "Care? A little help?"

Caroline, who'd watched the whole encounter from Klaus' side, made a face. "Sorry, Elena, but I really hate that particular hobby of Damon's and he needed to be put in his place. I just happened to luck into marrying the one guy really good at doing that."

Damon rolled his eyes as he sat up, but not without difficulty. "You're a dick."

"Takes one to know one, mate," Klaus replied, taking Caroline's hand once more to return to their activity.

"I still hate him," Damon grumbled as Elena helped him up. "Six months of living under the same roof and I hate him as much as ever."

"No, you don't," Elena denied. "You might still hate him but you don't want to kill him anymore. You wouldn't do that to Caroline, just like he wouldn't either."

"Who knew our Miss Mystic Falls would be the one to unite us all?" Damon joked.

"Deep down, she did," Elena smiled. "Well, she hoped."

"Are we finished yet?" Katherine asked an hour later. "It's cold, late, and my feet hurt. I'm also getting hungry and that means I'll start getting antsy and the good people of London will be in grave danger."

"All right," Caroline agreed. "We can go since we have an early morning. I want to be up by eight for breakfast so we can open gifts after."

"Eight?" Katherine whined. "We're friendly and all now, princess, but I'm not an early riser."

"Please?" Caroline begged. "You guys are only here for a few days and then everyone is leaving and we might not see each other for a while."

"You're so sentimental, Blondie," Damon teased as they walked back to the cars. "Don't you think six months living with me have been enough for a lifetime?"

"You? Yes," she answered. "But not Elena. And I'm so used to having Stefan and Rebekah with us all the time."

"We won't travel forever," Stefan assured her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Too much time with Damon will come to irritate me and I'll need a break."

Caroline grinned. "Everyone does eventually. I will never understand how Elena does it."

Stefan looked ahead at where Klaus walked with his siblings. "Most would say the same for you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she muttered. "But I love him so really, what can I do?"

Stefan laughed. "I have no idea."

That night, as Caroline prepared for bed, she found the room incredibly empty. She and Klaus hadn't spent a night apart since their bet before the wedding and she'd promised herself back then that she'd never do it again if she could help it. But he was keeping secrets, knowing she hated them, and he had to be punished. She climbed into their bed and curled up into his pillow.

Klaus woke up from a light sleep to the sound of someone quietly sneaking into the room several hours later. He didn't have to look to know it was his wife; he had a sixth sense when it came to her, just like she did for him.

"Well, hello," he grinned, scooting over as she crawled into the bed next to him.

"Hi," Caroline greeted him in a whisper. "You were probably sleeping and I'm sorry for waking you up but I couldn't sleep."

Klaus pulled her to him. "Why not, love?"

She sighed. "You know why, Nik. I don't like sleeping apart."

"I know," he smiled, "but I like to hear you say it."

Caroline shoved him away. "You're winning a major battle here so don't push it. We have to be up in four hours and I'd like to sleep for a bit."

Klaus pulled her back to him and ran his fingers through her hair. "I'm sorry for the secret."

"I know," she muttered, wrapping her arm around his waist. "I love you, Nik, so I guess that means I can let you have _one_ secret, just this once."

"They do call you the benevolent one for a reason, I suppose," he chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight, love."

"Night," she breathed, finally succumbing to sleep.

When Klaus woke up at seven-thirty, he found himself alone in the guest room. He listened carefully for a moment and picked out her voice amongst the others downstairs in the kitchen.

"Morning," Rebekah greeted him twenty minutes later after he'd showered and dressed. "How was the guest room?"

Klaus eyed Caroline. "Surprisingly comfortable."

"Probably due to the late night visitor," Katherine spoke up as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Or was that a secret?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "It's not a secret. Husbands and wives sleep together all the time. Let's just eat so we can open presents."

"You just want to know the surprise present," Stefan said knowingly.

"Maybe," Caroline shrugged simply, leading everyone to the dining room. "Look, everyone knows I don't love surprises so much and I think I've handled this really well."

"You made him sleep in a guest room!" Rebekah cried.

"That she slept in with him," Katherine smirked.

"Okay, enough," Elijah declared in his commanding tone. "Let's enjoy our breakfast. Caroline and Elena worked hard on it."

"Oh, of course," Katherine rolled her eyes, looking at Elena. "Well, if Saint Elena worked so hard, we should all be appreciative."

"Kat," Caroline warned. "Let it go. It's one more day."

Katherine said nothing and just went back to eating her Belgian waffles.

Once everyone had finished, they gathered in the parlor around the massive tree Caroline and Rebekah had bought the week before.

"Can I have mine first?" Caroline asked Klaus.

"No," he shook his head. "Well, actually, you can have a gift first but not the one you want."

She frowned and started passing out gifts. "Whatever."

Damon read the tag on his first one. "From Klaus? What the hell is this?"

"Well, you've been a guest in my home for six months so it's customary," Klaus replied without looking up from the present in his own hands.

"It's not going to explode when I open it, is it?" Damon wondered, ripping off the paper.

"No, Caroline would be angry if I blew up the sitting room," Klaus answered.

With a bit of trepidation, Damon lifted the lid of the box and scoffed. "Seriously?"

Elena leaned over to look and burst into laughter. "Oh, that's mean."

"What is it?" Stefan asked.

"This," Damon grumbled, holding up an empty bottle of bourbon.

Katherine raised an eyebrow. "I don't get it."

"It's Damon's favorite bourbon," Elena explained, "but it's an American brand so Klaus has refused to let him have it in the house since we've been here."

"Klaus is a snob when it comes to alcohol," Caroline added.

"I swear, as soon as we leave this hotel from hell, I'm buying an entire case of this and I'm going to drink it on your lawn," Damon said.

"By all means," Klaus nodded, "just as long as you're out of my house."

"But no garbage left out there!" Caroline declared.

After an hour of exchanging presents, Caroline was pacing. She was pacing and her husband was doing a damn good job of ignoring her.

"All right, that's the last one, Nik," Rebekah finally spoke up. "Give Caroline what she wants. "

"Okay," he agreed. "Everyone out."

"What?" Rebekah exclaimed. "We don't get to see it?"

"Is it dirty?" Damon wondered mischievously.

"Damon!" Elena cried as she pushed him out of the room, following everyone else.

Once they were gone, Klaus took Caroline's hands and sat her down on the couch. Without a word, he disappeared down the long hallway and was gone for several agonizing moments before returning with a large gift-wrapped box.

"Oh, my God," she breathed as he set it down on the floor in front of her. "Wait, are those holes?" She looked at him excitedly. "Is this what I think it is?"

Klaus shrugged playfully. "You'll have to see."

She ripped off the paper with her vamp speed and opened the box to reveal a perfect, tiny Siberian husky puppy, with the bluest eyes she'd ever seen.

"Oh, Nik," she breathed, reaching in to hold it. "You got me a puppy just like you promised at our wedding."

"I've never had a dog," he admitted, sitting down beside her. "I had a horse but it was when I was human and their care was much different than a dog. I know nothing about taking care of them and I don't like going into something so blindly but I know it's what you've wanted and you know I have a hard time denying you anything."

Caroline hugged the puppy and giggled as it licked her nose. "It's so cute."

"_He_," Klaus corrected. "This dog is a he. When he's full-grown, he'll protect you, too."

"Well, for right now, I want to appreciate him as a little ball of fluff," she replied. "We should name him Henry, after Henrik. It's a strong name and if we could have children, I'd have wanted to name them after your siblings who have passed away so this is the closest we can get."

"Henry," Klaus said, testing it out. The dog clumsily crawled over to him. "Well, I suppose he likes it."

"I think he just likes you," Caroline replied, "like his mommy does." She kissed Klaus softly, holding Henry between them. "Merry Christmas, Klaus."

Klaus kissed her again before pressing his forehead to hers while patting Henry's head. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."


End file.
